The Truth and the Tempest
by Neon-Ronin
Summary: After the wedding disaster, two people begin to open up... a mysterious warrior appears in Nerima... a terrible secret behind Jusenkyo is about to be revealed. RA pairing, possibly others. Read&Review please. Chap. 43 up
1. When Worlds Collide

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. This story is intended for fun, not for profit. It's been a long time since I watched the original anime or read the manga, so my knowledge is sketchy at times; please remember this when reviewing. This story begins in the aftermath of the fight with Saffron and the wedding disaster. I encourage all constructive critiques, but would ask that flamers save their fire for the marshmallow roast. With that said, enjoy the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 1: When Worlds Collide

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Midnight.

Thick black clouds roiled over the mountainous terrain, unleashing torrents of rain upon the valleys below. It was bucketing down, and had been for a considerable time. Streams turned into raging rivers, while small ponds threatened to turn into massive swamps. Most of the woodland animals had fled to their burrows or nests, desperately seeking a means to stay dry. Others had fled much earlier, not to escape the rain, but to avoid the shock of seeing the distant peak of Phoenix Mountain blow apart in a cataclysmic fury. Distant villagers, too, had seen the destruction from afar and had panicked, thinking it to be the precursor to a volcanic eruption.

Few, if any, knew the extent of what had truly transpired.

The smoke from the remains of the peak had dwindled to almost nothing from the sheer force of the rain, and as the night wore on people began to relax slightly. There was no eruption visible, no streams of lava running down the mountainside. Nary a soul ventured out to investigate further, however, partly out of fear of whatever had caused the cacophony in the first place, partly because of the chilling downpour that showed little to no signs of relenting. Most villagers had turned to their evening meals, children and pets eventually relaxed and resumed their innocent games with one another. Some, like the inhabitants of Joketsuzoku, were deeply concerned with what had transpired; such an event could very well be a sign from the gods, perhaps even a warning. Elders and the learned banded together in consultation, voicing concerns and postulating their theories well into the night.

The rain continued its barrage. It fell on roofs, it fell on gardens, it fell on piles of firewood which had not been covered, eliciting numerous expletives from tired farmers… it fell on plants and trees, on stables, on well-worn wagons, on dirt roads which were slowly turned into rivers of mud.

Most notably, it fell on a secluded valley dotted by many freshwater springs, with ancient bamboo poles forming a veritable forest across the water. Individual springs were impossible to discern anymore; the entire area had been transformed into a smallish lake.

Beside the lake stood a man, seemingly oblivious to the rain that pelted down upon him.

He was not conspicuously tall, standing just under six feet. His brownish-black hair was long in the back, reaching just above his shoulders, and thoroughly matted down by the rain, only kept out of his eyes by a black bandanna. He shivered slightly, though the chill of the storm was kept mostly at bay by the dark brown leather jacket across his shoulders. There seemed to be something etched or sewn across the back of the jacket, but in the darkness of the valley it was almost impossible to tell. Fingerless gloves adorned his hands; he flexed the fingers on his left hand briefly, bringing it up to his eyes as if inspecting a favored weapon. His blue-green irises lingered on the circular pattern etched on the back of the glove, tracing the runes and the pentagram within the circle slowly and deliberately.

A look of fire entered his eyes as he lowered his left hand. His right hand tightened its grip on the straight-bladed naginata at his side as he removed the sheath, exposing the blade to the elements. The polearm's double-edged blade seemed to shine from within, even in the blackness of the storm. Lightning flashed in the distance, highlighting the runes engraved along the four foot length of the staff and the pentagram sigil which seemed burned into the 16" blade. The man took a deep breath, then expelled it.

_So this is it. This is the place Father spoke of._ He took another breath. _This isn't going to be easy. If Reika was here, it wouldn't be so bad… but our numbers are small enough as it is, and she has enough problems to worry about._

He twirled the naginata in his right hand slowly, glancing around the horizon.

_Father says he sent me because I'm the best… but a seal of this magnitude is something I've never even tried. Still… I have to do this. We can't let a place like this continue unabated any longer, or God knows what may become of it. The portals must be closed. Conditional portals they may be, but any portal is dangerous if left untreated…_

A movement on the periphery of his vision caught his eye, and he slowed the rotation of his weapon.

_Something's there… a forest spirit, perhaps? Or something else?_

A vicious cackle rent the air as a diminutive crimson beast shot out of the undergrowth, a humanoid barely three feet in height with the grotesque appearance of a fanged, horned simian on amphetamines. It bounded towards the man in great strides, saliva drizzling down its pronounced jaw line as it babbled in an incoherent demon tongue. It threw itself at the man with the full intent of tearing out his throat, but the man shot his left hand up in front of his face, fingers clenched as the sigil on the back of the glove shone a brilliant white. Seconds later, the apelike being was sprawled whimpering in the mud, thrown backwards by an unseen force. It scrabbled to its feet, shrieked at the man and darted forward once again. This time, the man spun casually, sweeping the naginata in a wide crescent that tore a line of silver across the beast's body. The beast seemed to freeze in midair before exploding into a myriad of white shards that spun and whirled through the air, siphoned into the pentagram on the blade of his weapon.

The man sighed. _Just a lesser oni. Hardly even worth my time._

Without wasting another moment, he turned and dug his boots into the mud at the edge of the lake. A quick grunt and he propelled himself high into the air, landing on one of the nearer bamboo poles with ease. He jumped again, gaining even higher altitude and landing on a further pole. Repeating the action, he twisted in midair and dug his free hand into his jacket, flinging a handful of narrow, sharp objects far and wide before landing on a third pole. A quick hop, and he was facing another direction. He sheathed the blade of his polearm and slung it across his back, digging more of the engraved steel slivers from within his jacket. He crouched and bounded into the air once more, showering the area with the projectiles; some shot into the water, others landed on distant dry banks, still others embedded themselves within the bamboo poles surrounding him. This action was repeated several times over until the man stood in the dead center of the lake.

He drew his polearm once again, unsheathing the blade and raising it high to the heavens.

"The soiled shall be cleansed," he began to chant. "The spirits of the dead shall be laid to rest. No more shall they be the key between this world and the next. Thou hast polluted this land for many a year, and now one sworn to defeat you shall seal the cleft and return peace to the land." All around him, the metal slivers he had thrown began to throb with a white light that grew in intensity every second. Lines of light scored their way across the surface of the water, tracing a crisscross pattern that seemed chaotic at first, yet gradually took on a semblance of order. "In the name of the House of Yamashira, I, Shingen, stand before your power and reject your intrusions upon this world!!!" he bellowed, raising his weapon with his right hand and tracing arcane symbols in the air with his left. The sigils on both his gloves shone pale as the patterns on the water solidified at an even greater rate, eventually forming a massive hexagram across the valley.

The water began to boil. Faint red forms became visible beneath the surface. Shingen pressed his eyes shut tightly in concentration, speaking new words in an unknown tongue. His left hand began to move faster, in sharp, tight movements that suggested he was conducting a symphony. The pentagram on his naginata blade was shining bright gold now, and the lines of the massive hexagram before him doubled in their intensity. Seconds stretched into minutes, and the light of the hexagram coupled with the throbbing red of the springs was almost blinding.

Faint squeals emerged from the flooded springs, turning into distant howls of anguish. Shingen's chant and his gestures continued unabated. The rain seemed to quiet down, as if retreating from the sight beneath it. Sweat began to trickle down his temples as the howls reached his ears, as if something was trying to rip at him from the inside. His words grew harsher still, his gestures became so sharp they seemed to cut into the air. The howls became louder, howls of pain, desperation, and pure, blinding rage. Suddenly, Shingen spun the weapon downwards, grasped it in both hands and thrust the blade towards the springs ten feet below him. "This land is yours no longer. The dead shall rest at peace. In the name of the gods, trouble this land NO MORE!!!"

Midnight became full day as the valley was engulfed in white fire.

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Half an hour had passed, and the rainfall had slowed to a light drizzle. The clouds were beginning to thin out enough to let moonlight play across the hills and valleys, prompting several animals out of their hiding places.

The valley of a hundred springs had been decimated. Broken bamboo lay strewn about the landscape, mud and grass had churned into a swampy pudding that coated the surface of the water and some of the surrounding cliff walls. A strange, peaceful silence had settled over the area, disturbed only by the sloshing footsteps of a jacket-clad warrior dragging his way out of the lake.

Shingen trudged towards the nearest outcropping of rocks, leaning on his polearm for support, his breathing slow and ragged. A twinge shot across his face and he screwed his eyes shut, his left hand on his forehead as he collapsed to the ground by the rocks.

"Damn," he expectorated. "That took more out of me than I thought it would… can't even see straight." He flexed his fingers and let his weapon fall to one side. "Still, it's done. I just hope it holds, because I sure as hell don't want to go through that again." He sighed heavily, staring up at the thinning clouds for a moment.

"Well, that's one path they won't be able to use anymore," he mumbled with a hint of a smile. "On to the next assignment, I guess."

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small waterproof tube sealed with a runic wax marker, pausing for a moment as he noticed how much lighter his jacket was. "Better retrieve the darts before I go," he noted as he broke the seal on the tube, unrolling a tightly bound sheaf of papers within.

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_My son,_

_If you are reading this I may only assume the destruction of the portals in China is complete. You are the only one I could trust to see this errand to completion, and I am most proud of you. You are, after all, our finest Hunter. I would that I could have sent another with you, but you know too well how few in number the Hunters have become. I myself am too overwhelmed, even here at our family grounds in Hokkaido, to be as effective in the field as once I was. Your sister Reika, too, has problems of her own in the south- but I know your skills and strength, and I trust you._

_I must warn you, though, not to pursue your next goal until you have recovered from the mission at Jusenkyo. A portal closure of that magnitude, even for one as skilled as you, carries severe risk of backlash- the powers of our bloodline could be severely impaired for some time, making you more susceptible to misdirection, or even unable to read auras properly. I urge you, do NOT make any major advances until you have rested at least five days. This should be sufficient time for you to recover._

_Once you are sure you are well, make your way to Tokyo. There have been some alarming disturbances there as of late, all focusing on a particular ward. From my own observations and those in the field, chaos tremors have been steadily increasing over the past year… for what reason, I do not yet know. It is possible our ancient enemies are gathering forces to make a move against the center of Japan in one fell swoop, possibly through the manipulation of unwitting pawns. It is also possible there is a ley line shift in progression, though this will need to be verified. All signs, however, point to a common result- there is a gathering demonic presence therein, which must be stopped._

_I have no doubt in your ability to discover and destroy the source of these tremors, but I must again warn you not to make a move until your senses recover fully. If you move too quickly, Shingen, you may well lose sight of your objective. Practice patience, my son, and be on guard at all times. It is quite possible that the area in question, Nerima ward, could well turn into our next great battlefield. We must be alert and at full strength if we are to prevent that._

_Be well, my son, and stay true to the Hunter's Code._

_Yamashira Gennosuke_

_----------_

Shingen pored over the message for a moment before rolling it back up and stuffing it in his jacket. Looking around, he caught sight of his duffel bag on the far side of the rocks. He staggered up and opened the top, retrieving a bottle of water from which he took several hefty swigs.

"Nerima ward, eh?" he muttered to himself, a smirk tugging the corners of his mouth. "Guess it could be a bit of fun." He paused for a moment, stretching out his back muscles. "Still, five days' rest… heh, no way in hell am I staying here that long. What's the worst that could happen?"

To be continued…

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A/N: Yes, our famous gender-confused martial artist hasn't shown up yet. Rest assured, he will, and a few other favorites as well. Just setting things up. Please review; I'd like to know if there's some interest or if I'm just wasting my time. -Neon Ronin


	2. More Than Words

A/N: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I appreciate the reviews I've received; each one encourages me a bit more. I may not be able to write at a consistently fast pace, so please bear with me. This chapter offers a bit of closure for one part of the saga- a sort of interlude before the storm, and in my humble opinion a much needed one.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 2: More Than Words

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Several days had passed since the events on Phoenix Mountain. A modicum of peace had settled over those directly involved- but such peace did not last very long. A few slips of the tongue, coupled with reasonably well-intentioned but poorly received invitations, meant certain disaster for a certain ceremony, intended to take place at a certain dojo. By the time it was all over, certain parties were more than a little battered, bruised, and in some cases singed and smoking. In short, a fine mess.

Night was falling, and the majority of the Tendo household was picking up the pieces as best they could. Soun flipped back and forth rapidly from exasperation to misery, prompting the others to keep plenty of handkerchiefs nearby. Nabiki was running up a tally on repair costs, silently kicking herself for sending out certain invitations. Kasumi and Nodoka remained composed and optimistic as they tried to organize the cleanup detail, though Kasumi's smile had faltered and Nodoka was shaking her head, almost trying to will away the disaster like a bad dream. Every once in a while she would send a scornful glance towards her fool of a husband, who had quickly become quite meek and helpful in response. _They just had to push for the union as soon as they could, not even giving my son a chance to recover,_ she thought to herself. _Perhaps they are still not ready…_

Upstairs, separated from the chaos below, Akane sat in her room, leaning on her desk as she gazed out the window at the cloudless sky. She had stripped off her wedding dress and changed into her pajamas, leaving the dress on the far side of her room. At first she had wanted to throw it at the wall in a crumpled heap, but in the end had patiently folded it and set it aside. She drummed her fingers absently, resting her chin on one hand as she waited for the stars to come out.

Akane wanted to feel angry… in fact, she had been angry the moment things really began falling apart and the party was attacked. She wanted to keep feeling that anger, she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and punch holes in the wall. She wanted to be furious at all the people that had wrecked the ceremony, especially one or two that she felt she was on relatively good terms with.

But she wasn't. Instead, she felt tired… and sad. She let out a long sigh as she blinked away the beginning of a tear.

"Why did it have to be this way?" she said to herself. "I can't believe they'd go so far as to… and he never even answered my question, either." She shook her head, glancing back at her folded dress. "Oh, Ranma… I know what I heard. I felt it; why couldn't you just say it to my face? Why did you have to dance around it the way you did, just like all the other times?" She shifted her position at her desk, gazing at the framed photo on one side. Everyone was in it- or at least, everyone who pursued either one of them for whatever reason. Her expression darkened slightly. "You didn't even stand next to me when they took that shot," she growled. "Maybe you never cared about me in the first place…"

The moment she said those words, she blinked in surprise at herself. Akane glanced at the photo again, suddenly remembering when they lined up for the camera; Shampoo had glomped his arm instantly, and now that she thought of it she remembered seeing a look of disgust passing Ranma's eyes. She remembered a lot of other people rushing into the shot at once, and as she thought it over it dawned on her that they hadn't had any chance to stand next to each other before the shutter snapped. It wasn't intentional, just a matter of bad timing.

"That's right… and I wasn't sure if you really wanted me standing next to you, either," she said softly. Her gaze wandered back to the window; a few stars were beginning to make their appearances. Downstairs, she could just make out an argument breaking out between Nabiki and Kasumi, something about inviting the wrong people at the wrong time. "You can say that again," Akane groaned, resting her head on the desk. "Too many of the wrong people." Another long sigh.

"Still… I just wish I knew for sure what you wanted. I needed to know. I can't blame the entire day on you- as much as I want to- I just don't understand why you acted that way." She pushed away from the desk, padding across to her bed and sitting down heavily.

"Ranma no baka… what do you really want?"

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A while later, a thoroughly downcast Ranma trudged up the stairs, dragging his charred jacket off and tossing it into his room. _Dammit all to hell and back,_ he thought. _It never fails… just when things actually seem to be workin' out for a change, something comes along and screws it all up._ He heaved a sigh and glanced towards Akane's door; it was shut tight and the lights under the doorjamb were turned off. _Damn, damn, damn… I think I really blew it this time. I just had to go and stick my foot in my mouth, AGAIN. Why the hell didn't I just tell her? And for that matter, why didn't she answer me when I asked her if she was sure 'bout this?_ A wave of guilt washed over him as he leaned against the wall.

_Maybe she really does hate me. Maybe she really was forcing herself into this because of our parents' stupid arrangement… _He screwed his eyes shut, holding back a tear that was threatening to escape. _Maybe… maybe it really is hopeless… she'd never feel the same about a freak like me… dammit, don't cry, guys aren't supposed to cry…_

A sigh escaped his throat as he glanced at her door again. He blinked, still trying to force a tear away and not succeeding very well. Downstairs, the cleanup sounds continued; he had tried to help out earlier but had been going through the motions like a mindless robot, prompting Kasumi to gently shoo him upstairs. He stood in the hallway a few moments more, then shook his head. _I've got to say something. I shouldn't wake her up, she'd clobber me in an instant… but maybe this way I can say it without my brain locking up. Even if she doesn't hear it. _He took a few steps and leaned against her door, sliding down it until he was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Akane…" he began in a soft tone, his cracking voice betraying him. "Um… I know you're asleep and you can't really hear me right now; I didn't want to wake you after everything that went down earlier. I… I know you're real upset an' all, and I know I really should be saying this to your face, but…" He sighed, leaning his head against the door. "Fact is, I'd probably wind up screwing it up like I always do, and given what just happened I'm sure you don't want to see me right now. I don't blame you, either. I didn't want this day to turn out the way it did, and I know a lot of it is my fault somehow or another.

"I… I'm really sorry about this whole mess. Not just today's mess, either; I guess I'm nothing more than a walking disaster magnet." His voice cracked a bit more as he slammed his eyes shut. "I never meant to get you dragged into any of the messes in my life, messes which by all rights I shouldn't have been in to begin with. Though… I can't blame my old man for all of them, either… it'd be easier, but… but… oh gods, I really feel like a moron…

"I… I never really meant to hurt you with anything I said or did, Akane… I never had many friends my own age growing up, I just don't know how ta talk to people that well… every time I try to tell ya something serious, I just wind up garbling it or saying something I don't mean… which would usually lead to you gettin' upset and we'd get in a fight… and then I'd get ticked at something you said and I'd shout back something else I didn't mean… you get the idea. It just spiraled out of control, an' every time I tossed out one of those insults… at first I thought I was just teasing, but recently…" He swallowed hard. "I started feelin' like I was killing myself every time I made a joke about you. I couldn't stand seeing you get angry or upset… especially not when I was the one to blame… gods, you're right, I really am a thoughtless jerk. A jerk who never gave you the respect ya deserve…

"I know it doesn't really mean much if you can't hear me, but I have to tell you… I… I can't keep pushing my feelings aside because of embarrassment or my damned ego anymore. Y-you… y-you're the most important person in my life, Akane, and I ain't saying this because of our folks' agreement or because of someone else's say-so. I know I'm not much more than a thick-skulled freak of nature, and even if you did hear me you probably wouldn't believe what I'm telling you, but… I… I love you. I love your laugh, your smile… the kindness you show others when they're down, the little helping hands you've given me when I needed them the most… your dedication to the Art, your never-say-die attitude…"

Ranma dipped his head forward, choking slightly as he let the tears flow freely. _Guys don't cry my ass, I don't care anymore._ "I told you a long time ago that you're really cute when you smile. I meant it then, and I mean it now. I never really thought you were uncute… hell, cute doesn't even do you justice… but whenever I'd say something stupid, you'd hide that side of you away behind your anger. I hate to see you angry or sad… especially when it's my fault to begin with. There were a few times I got scared I'd never see you smile at me again… maybe I didn't say anything at the time, but it ripped me up inside. And now I've gone and done it again with the mess today." He paused, letting out a year of a sigh. A dull ache was throbbing behind his eyes, but he ignored it. _I'm not gonna screw this up, even if she can't hear me._

"I wanted to tell you this before… I tried to tell you before, but every time something just locks up in my throat and I screw it up. So… even if I can't say it… I still try ta prove it. Gods, I almost lost you for good on that mountain…" He sniffed, wiping his face with the back of his sleeve. "I just want ya to be safe, Akane… but I want ya to be happy, too. You shouldn't have to be f-forced into a union with a cursed f-freak like me; you deserve better than that. You deserve a choice… and if that choice doesn't include me, I'll understand. I'll do whatever I can if it makes you happy… if you w-wanted, I'll even g-go away so you could have a n-normal life for a change…"

A moment passed by before he shook his head and struggled to his feet. "I'm sorry for everything, Akane. The fights, the other fiancees which I never even wanted in the first place, the pain… so much pain…" He rested his forehead lightly next to the duck nameplate, eyes closed. "I just hope you don't hate me for what I've done… or for who I am," he whispered. "I'd do anything for you… I just hope it's not too late for me. Even if you haven't heard anything I've said tonight…" Ranma blinked again and slowly turned from her door, the throb behind his eyes beginning to fade.

He was almost at his own door when he stopped. A muffled sound wafted through the air behind him… a sound akin to a light sob. His eyes went wide. _Was that…_ He stiffened as the sound of a door opening behind him struck his ears.

"Ranma… don't go."

The tone in her voice nearly made his heart break as he turned around. _Oh gods, I hope she isn't even more upset with me…_ He raised his eyes and saw Akane standing in her doorway; she was gazing at him with moist eyes and her lower lip trembled slightly.

"I… I thought you were asleep," he said in a halting voice.

She shook her head. "I just had the lights turned off. I was thinking…" Her voice cracked slightly and she glanced away, a light flush on her cheeks. "I h-heard what you were saying… everything." An errant tear rolled down her face as she looked up again.

The dull throb began to rise behind Ranma's eyes again; something inside him was telling him to low-key it, play it cool. _No. I am not going to hide behind my damned ego or pride again. I can do this. I am not going to lie to her anymore!!!_ The throb pulsed a few seconds more, then slowly faded. He gazed into her eyes calmly.

"I meant every word of it, Akane. I can't lie to ya…"

Another tear escaped her eyes as she took in the sight of his own, and two seconds later she had closed the distance between the two of them. She wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest as the wall she had built around her heart for so long crumbled and fell. "I'm so sorry, Ranma," she whimpered. "I had no idea… I was so afraid you didn't care, that you only stayed here because of that stupid arrangement… and I've said so many rotten things about you… gods, I feel t-terrible now. P-please… forgive me," she sobbed into his chest.

"Akane, there's nothing to forgive," he answered as he pulled her closer, one arm around her shoulder and the other gently stroking her hair. "I was the one who started messing things up; I deserved it."

"No, you didn't," she said, shaking her head vigorously. "You've done so much for me… you stopped the assaults at the school gates, you gave me my memory back… you saved my life just a short while ago… and all I've ever done is hit you or shout at you in return. M-maybe you have said a few s-stupid things in the past, but so have I… I should've listened to you…" She drew in a long breath, shuddering as she expelled it. "If I'd only paid attention instead of letting my temper take over, things would've been different… I would've seen it so much sooner."

"I'm sorry about all those stupid jokes I made; I never meant any of them."

"I'm sorry I never gave you a chance to explain things before belting you…"

A moment passed by where the two of them did nothing but cradle each other in their arms, rocking slowly back and forth. Akane stopped shaking and gradually her own tears subsided. Loosing one arm from around Ranma's waist, she reached up slowly and rested her palm against his cheek, looking up at him.

"I shouldn't have told you I was forcing myself to go through with the ceremony earlier… I just got frustrated and blurted something out without thinking. I wanted to make sure you really wanted this."

Ranma blinked. "That's what I wanted to know… if you wanted this. I don't want you ta be forced into something like marriage if you don't really want it." He sighed. "I- I didn't want you to do this out of honor, or out of pity because of my stupid curse…"

Akane scrunched her eyes shut again, pressing into his chest so hard he thought she was going to crush him. "You baka… I don't care about your curse, I care about the person inside," she whispered. "I know you aren't really a pervert, and I'm sorry for all the times I've called you that, or any other name. Just my stupid temper and jealousy acting up again…" Another shudder ran through her body and she took another deep breath. "When you were talking earlier, you said you'd do anything if it would make me happy," she said in a choking voice. "I just want you to do one thing…"

"Anything," said Ranma in a shaky voice.

Akane gulped, and looked up once more. "Stay with me. Don't leave… I don't ever want you to leave…" She looked directly into his eyes as fresh tears fell, her voice thick and halting. "I love you…"

A slow smile crept onto Ranma's stunned face. "You… you really mean that?"

Akane nodded. "With all my heart." She pulled close to him again as he drew her into a gentle hug, resting his head against hers. Tears were falling from both their eyes now… no longer tears of sorrow, but joy. Their breathing slowed, becoming more relaxed- almost synchronized as they clung to each other in the hallway, oblivious to everything else around them.

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Neither one was aware of the two sets of ears that lurked just out of sight in the stairwell beyond. The elder Tendo sisters turned to each other, smiling as they made their way back downstairs as quietly as humanly possible.

"I knew those two were going to admit it at one point or another," Nabiki whispered with a big grin on her face. Surprisingly, the sound of cash registers was not ringing in her mind this time. _This may be prime profit gossip, but I'll be damned if I take advantage of this situation again. I made a big enough mistake inviting some of those morons to the service today; no sense aggravating things even further._ She mentally kicked herself for the 13th time that evening. _You'd think people would put aside those old grudges once the ceremony was set in motion; guess some of them are just too damn stubborn for their own good._

"Let's hope it stays that way for a while this time," Kasumi replied, a serious look upon her normally pleasant face. "After all they've been through, they could use a break from things, especially with what happened today. And they really are a good match for each other."

"Yeah, I know. I just hope dad and Mr. Saotome don't try and blindside 'em again for a while."

The two nodded and laughed as they rejoined the others downstairs. Soun was still blubbering over some of the damages while Nodoka kept an eye on a very nervous Genma. Happosai was nowhere to be seen, either drunk out of his gourd or off on a panty raid, or both.

Nobody noticed the shadow of a very short old woman, perched on the roof at the top of a wooden staff. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, shaking her head. _It is as I feared. I suspected it for a long time, but this truly is the final straw. My great-granddaughter may have finally stepped over the line this time; I told her and TOLD her to be cautious in her methods, not ignite a full-blown war under this very roof… I must think on this longer. The law is one thing, but matters of the heart are far different. I fear that young man may now be well and truly lost to us. And if that is so, I must find a means to preserve honor…_ She shook herself out of her reverie and leapt off the roof, making her way through the dimly lit streets toward the Neko Hanten.

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At the very edge of Nerima, a lone figure tramped his way through the streets. He carried a duffel bag and a long, narrow item on his back, wrapped in a sheath of white silk; the silk contrasted well with the dark brown of his leather jacket. His jeans bore considerable mud stains, as did his camo-patterned T-shirt. His feet faltered every step or so and he looked like he was in dire need of a bed.

A nearby bench stood out in the light of a streetlamp, and Shingen plodded tiredly towards it. Collapsing onto the bench with a groan, he put a hand to his forehead and rubbed the bridge of his nose gently.

_Damn, this is taking a lot longer than I thought,_ he grumbled to himself. _I thought for sure I would've shaken it off by now, but I must've gotten hit with more backlash than I thought I did._ He blinked a few times, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He glanced over at a nearby tree, shifting his perception ever so slightly before wincing and holding his eyes in pain. _Father was right, I can't even look at a plant's aura without getting a headache,_ he berated himself. _Well, at least I'm actually here; too much wasted time and things could get even worse. Just got to hope my senses return to normal soon._ He gritted his teeth, absentmindedly punching the armrest as he did so.

"I can feel it already," he muttered. "There's definitely a chaos stream in effect, but until I can actually read auras again I can't nail the source down." He reached up and loosened the black bandanna on his head. "Whatever it is, there's definitely an occult presence here. Maybe even stronger than what I had to fight when I closed the rift in China." A shudder passed through him.

_I just need some sort of lead. I can't tell if this is the work of an oni, a shapeshifter or something stronger yet. Possibly more than one…_

_Maybe things will be better in the sunlight. I better find a place to get some sack time._

He hefted the duffel bag and started walking again.

To Be Continued…

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A/N: Thank you again for the reviews; hopefully this chapter shows a little more of the developing plot. It will be a little slow at first, I admit that, but there's much to be done. Our favorite duo are in for a hell of a ride in upcoming chapters now that they've come clean… and only time will tell how Shingen fits into the picture. I refuse to say more; that would give the plot away. Not sure when the next update will be; it depends on my schedule and how well my imagination stays on track. -Neon Ronin


	3. Just Another Manic Monday

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I hope to get things moving a little quicker in this chapter as things and people begin to collide- as they are oft want to do in such situations as this. The action- for those few who haven't guessed already- takes place just after the manga's conclusion. Enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 3: Just Another Manic Monday

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At first glance, it would seem that things had returned to status quo at the Tendo household. Kasumi was her usual pleasant self, Nabiki's 'whatever' attitude was back, Soun and Genma appeared to have shaken off the effects of the previous night's wreckage, and Ranma and Akane seemed to be back in their old form again- tolerating each other's presence at the breakfast table with the occasional dig at the other thrown in for good measure. Soun had just officially delayed the marriage until things could be sorted out between them, and cringed inwardly as the two of them verbally sparred one last time before grabbing their bags and heading for school. _I don't know what to do anymore,_ he lamented. _I only want what's best for my baby girl, why can't she realize that? Surely after everything they just went through, there must be some sort of a bond between them? Yet even today, they still can't seem to get along!!! Good gods, at this rate Kasumi and Nabiki will be married before those two are!_ Faint rivers began to work their way down from his eyes. _Can they not see the fate of our entire school rests upon their shoulders? I… I haven't a single clue what to do anymore, and something tells me Saotome isn't faring any better. Oh, heavens preserve us in this dark hour…_

He hadn't noticed the surreptitious wink Ranma and Akane had given each other when they had come down to breakfast, or the smirks as they had dashed out the front door.

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"I'm sorry I snapped at you like that, Ranma."

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it, if it gets our dads off our backs for a little while, I can keep up appearances for a bit." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "I just hope you didn't take what I said seriously."

Akane shook her head. "Not after what you said last night. I knew you didn't mean it," she replied softly.

They had made very good time getting out of the house, barely giving the others a chance to glance at the clock. It was actually very early for them, so they were walking at a fairly leisurely pace along the canal. The sun was out in full force, with only a few errant clouds passing in front of it. It seemed like any ordinary day, with one notable exception. Ranma wasn't walking the fence top as he normally would, opting to share the sidewalk with Akane. He was smiling a bit, but every once in a while his eyes would dart to the left or right, almost expectant.

Akane glanced sideways at him. "Didn't want to take the usual route today?"

He blinked. "Uh… nah, didn't feel like doing balance practice that much," he replied. "Besides, there's… um… better company down here on the ground…" he added, flushing a little. Akane blinked, then smiled in response, a light blush on her own cheeks.

"Actually, I was just doing some thinking…" Ranma continued after a moment.

"That's a first." Akane giggled as Ranma rolled his eyes in mock-exasperation. "Sorry, couldn't help myself."

"Ha ha," he sighed. "Fact is, I figure if I'm on the ground and moving slow I might just be able to avoid that old lady with the ladle this morning; I'm getting sick of being doused each day."

"Oh, yeah… you really are a water magnet around her, aren't you?" Ranma nodded in response, and Akane smirked and opened one of the snaps on her school bag. "Well, to tell you the truth I thought that might happen, so I brought along a precaution just in case you get splashed today."

She opened the bag, revealing a narrow metal thermos. "Kasumi filled it for me before we left. Nice and hot, just the thing to treat the common curse," she quipped. Ranma grinned and they both started laughing.

"Wish I'd thought of doing something like that," he said. "I dunno what I'd do without you…"

"Probably spend too much time in your girl form," she answered.

"As if! I'd rather spend as little time in that form as possible," he groaned, still smiling a bit. Just then his smile faltered and he broke stride for one step. He took in a hissing breath as he put one hand up to the bridge of his nose.

Akane glanced over. "Something wrong?" she asked as he rubbed at his forehead.

"Ah, nothin' big," he mumbled. "Just my sinuses actin' up or something, it'll go away in a bit. Nothin' to worry about."

Akane frowned. "You aren't getting sick or anything, are you?"

"Nah, too tough to get sick." Akane smirked as he said that, remembering a time when he'd come down with an exceptionally bad fever that just about knocked him out at one point. _Still likes putting on that macho front of his, even after all this time,_ she thought to herself quietly. _Sometimes I wish you'd just admit when you're hurting, Ranma… even if I couldn't solve the problem, I'd try to help you._

Ranma shook his head for a moment, breathing out a long sigh. "Almost gone now… never really lasts that long."

"You've had these before?" Akane asked.

"Eh, on an' off for a while now, it's more irritating than anything else," he replied. "I asked Dr. Tofu about it, he couldn't find anything wrong. Said it might just be air pressure."

"You sure?"

"I'll be fine, Akane. Don't worry about me…" He trailed off as he took a longer look at their surroundings. They'd turned a corner and were walking down a long stretch of canal walkway. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh? What's that mean?" said Akane, bewildered.

"Better keep a sharp eye and ear out for now," said Ranma in a low, heavy voice.

"Why? What am I supposed to be looking for?"

Ranma gulped and glanced back where they had come from. "We're looking for two big danger signs, Akane- a head of purple hair, or that damned bicycle bell. We're right in the middle of the Chinese Delivery Bike Ambush Zone."

Akane's expression darkened. "Oh, great. I'd almost forgotten about that bimbo… you don't think she'd seriously be here today, not after yesterday?"

Ranma's eyes narrowed as he began walking at a slightly faster pace. "Right now, I don't know what would be going on in Shampoo's head." He glanced over at Akane, a deathly serious look in his eyes. "Listen, if you hear or see any sign of her coming this way, I want you to start running…"

Akane's head shot up the moment he said that, her eyes wide. "You want me to run?" she asked, a little hotly. "What for? So I can leave you and Shampoo all to your lonesome, is that why you want me to run?" Her right hand was clenched into a fist as a cold blue aura enveloped her body. "You just want to ditch me for her after everything you said last night, is that why you…" She glared up at him, and suddenly stopped speaking as she caught sight of his face. Ranma's eyes had gone wide, there was a stricken look on his features that she had seldom ever seen before- she could even see his shoulders sagging, as if someone had stacked weights on his back. All at once, everything he had told her through her door the previous evening came crashing back into her mind, and her battle aura rapidly dwindled and vanished. The fury on her face was quickly replaced by a look of embarrassment mixed with shame.

"Oh, gods… I did it again, didn't I?" she said in a small voice. "I didn't let you finish what you were saying… I'm sorry…"

Ranma took a deep breath. "No, I should've said it differently; I didn't mean for you to take it a bad way. But I will say this right now. I have never been, and never WILL be, interested in that purple-headed, manipulative, self-absorbed, brain-dead Amazonian bitch. After everything she's done to me AND you, I'll be very glad if I never see her again…"

Akane stared at him in shock. _Did he really say that??? He… he called her… he's never called anybody that, not even me! Even when he was really angry with me, he never called me any of those things… Ranma may not have much in the way of manners, but he's never stooped to that level before! He must be angrier with her than I thought…_

"The reason I asked you to run if she shows up is I don't want ya to be left behind," he continued. "If Shampoo tries anything today, I'm runnin' like a bat outta hell an' I don't want you to be surprised when I do."

Akane shook herself out of her reverie and nodded. "You… you're just going to run? You're not going to confront her or anything?"

Ranma shook his head, a grim look on his face. "The fact is, if she does get close enough to glomp me, or even lay a finger on either one of us, after what she did… as much as I hate fighting girls, I'm really not sure if I could control myself." Akane said nothing, merely nodding absently in response.

That's when two things pierced the air behind them… a bicycle bell, and a bubbly high-pitched voice.

"Nihao, airen!!!"

Ranma flinched and nodded to Akane, who nodded in return. "RUN!!!" The two of them locked hands and broke into a mad dash just as Shampoo's bike rounded the corner and started towards them.

"Ranma forget school now, go to date with Shampoo, yes?" she said in a sing-song tone- which quickly faded as she noticed the two of them disappearing rapidly. She stared in bewilderment, not believing for a moment that Ranma was actually running away from her… and _holding hands_ with Akane, no less.

"What Ranma doing?" she asked herself, slowing down and gazing at his rapidly vanishing form. "Why airen run away from Shampoo… and with violent girl Akane at side?" She blinked a few times. "This no make sense… Shampoo save Ranma from stupid wedding… why Ranma not happy?"

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It wasn't long at all before Ranma and Akane drummed their feet to a halt, less than a block away from the front gates of Furinkan High. Akane leaned against the wall while Ranma rested his hands on his knees, each one catching their breath.

"I knew it…" Ranma gasped. "I just knew… she'd show up… one way or another." He wiped some sweat from his brow and grimaced. "Next time, though, I swear I'm not gonna take it. This is the last straw…" He looked over at Akane and smiled. "You know… you're a lot faster than I thought."

Akane blinked. "Huh? I was just trying to keep up with you, that's all." She brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "You practically turned into a rocket for a moment there…"

"Just for a moment?"

"Yeah, then I started to catch up and you slowed down a bit so you weren't dragging me; even so, I guess I did do sorta alright…" She trailed off as she noticed he was giving her an amazed look. Something clicked, and her eyes went wide. "You… you didn't slow down?"

"No… I was goin' flat out."

"So then… I really was that fast?"

Ranma nodded, and a look of astonishment crept onto her face, a look that mirrored the one he was sporting. Just then an all too familiar voice rang out from the school gates.

"My beauteous huntress, it does my heart good to see thee in such high spirit and fine health this day," Kuno proclaimed as he raised his bokken, eyes narrowing on Ranma. "But my joy is marred by the continued presence of this accursed wastrel Saotome. Fear not, my lady, for today I shall defeat this cur and free you from his grasp, now and forev… ER…"

Kuno's last syllable turned into a high-pitched, strangled squeal, his eyes went wide and his bokken clattered to the ground… all perfectly natural reactions to Akane striding forward and kicking him in a _very_ delicate place. "I'm only going to say this once, _Kuno-sempai_," she snarled, grinding as much sarcasm into the title as she could. "Stay out of my business and leave him and me alone, or next time I'm not going to pull my punches." She turned on a heel and started marching towards the front doors; a second later Ranma blinked and followed suit, giving Kuno a dirty look as he passed. The doors slammed shut as they entered, followed by Kuno doubling over in a pathetic heap on the ground.

"M-my f-f-air Ak-k-ane… h-how could y-you b-be so c-c-cruel???" he groaned in a falsetto. Several students who had observed the whole thing stared at him for a few moments before deciding today was not a good day to get on Akane's bad side.

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"I don't think he was expectin' that when he got up this morning. Ouch…" Ranma whispered as the two of them stopped in the locker room to put their street shoes away.

"Yeah, well he's bugged me so many times he had it coming eventually," Akane replied in an equally low whisper. "Sure had a lot of nerve interrupting us like that."

"Yeah, I know… an' you can bet that isn't the only interruption we might have today," Ranma sighed. "Actually… there were a few other things I kinda wanted to talk to ya about, but I doubt we could talk about 'em right now."

Akane nodded. "You're right about that… God knows who might be listening." She looked both ways; seeing the locker room empty, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I doubt we'd be able to get any privacy at home, either; those walls have too many ears." _I wonder what he wants to talk about?_ she thought privately.

"Hmm… well, how 'bout after school, we go to the park? Um… if you don't mind, that is…"

Akane paused, smiling a little. "That would be a good place… but there's still no guarantee that someone won't pop in on us."

"Yeah, there is that. Unless we lay a false trail… y'know, double back on ourselves, make it look like we're going one place instead of another," Ranma replied with a shrug. "Or… we could pretend to get in an argument, go in separate directions after school and meet at the tree with the bench, near the fountain."

Akane's eyes widened. "Hey… that might just work," she whispered, noticing one or two other students drifting in. "How'd you come up with that?" He shrugged in response, eliciting a giggle from Akane before she frowned again. "But… are you sure you want to do it that way? Even if it is an act, I'm not so sure I really want to fight with you anymore. I don't want to get carried away again…" she trailed off.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it too much. An act is just that, an act. Just promise you won't take anything I say too seriously, okay?"

Akane paused for a moment, then nodded and smiled. "Okay. As long as you do the same for me."

"Deal," he replied. "Now, let's go put on a show." Straightening up, he winked at her and began striding towards the main hall. "Better get going if you don't wanna be late for class again, ya slowpoke tomboy!!" he said in a louder tone.

"Well I wouldn't be so slow if you weren't dragging me down with you, you lousy baka!!" Akane hollered back, assembling a quick scowl on her face as she chased him towards their classroom.

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That afternoon, some distance from Furinkan, Ryoga Hibiki didn't feel very good. In fact, he felt much like a sheep that had just been sheared, sunburned, and was currently in the process of being made into lamb chops. After his role in the wedding fiasco had played out he had promptly gotten lost again, wandered around until he found a suitable park bench to collapse on, and was currently trying to shake off the effects of the previous night's sleep. Not only had he slept in a highly uncomfortable position, his dreams had been an endless assault of conflicting memories that left him confused, more than a little depressed, and very definitely angry. The main problem was, he didn't know what he was angry about.

He sat on the sidewalk, leaning against a brick wall, wadding a soda can into a sphere in one hand.

"Dammit, I don't know why the hell I'm so mixed up about this," he growled to himself. "They had no right to force those two together! They couldn't have expected me to just sit by and watch, could they? For crying out loud, they HATE each other! I was doing them a favor; I KNOW I did the right thing…" He stood up, flinging the crushed can into the sky. "SO WHY THE HELL DOESN'T IT FEEL RIGHT???" He slapped a hand to his forehead. Visions of the carnage wrought the previous day swam sickeningly through his head, and he winced at the sight.

"Damn… maybe… maybe things went too far out of control…" he whispered, before blinking and setting his jaw again. "No, I'm sure Ranma got just what he deserved out of that. After all the things he's done for her… I mean, done TO her…" He stopped.

"All the things… he's done FOR her? Where'd that come from?" he pondered aloud. "He's never done anything but make fun of Akane, make her angry or cry, point out things he KNOWS she hates being criticized on… he never does anything about the other girls pursuing him… calls her 'uncute' when he knows that she isn't…"

Ryoga had folded his arms and started walking, not bothering to look up. His pace had started out brisk, but now his feet faltered. The set of his jaw softened.

"But… even with all that, he still went to Phoenix Mountain and brought her back…" He stopped, letting his arms hang limp. "Good God, he actually destroyed Saffron when none of us could even come close… just like when he fought Kirin, or Toma, or the dragon at Ryugenzawa…" A look of revelation was working its way across his face.

"That's right. He even destroyed that spring so that Akane wouldn't be cursed herself… he gave up a cure for her sake." The anger in his eyes was slowly fading. "And even if he does critique things about her, I guess it's not always without merit… he may be blunt about her cooking attempts, but at least he is honest. I didn't even have the guts to tell her how terrible her curry was, back when they were on that training trip…"

_Stop defending him. He doesn't know how to treat his fiancée. He needs to be taught a lesson!_

The fire in Ryoga's eyes returned. "YEAH! Why the hell am I talking like this?? Even if he's done a few things for Akane, he's still an arrogant bastard!! That does it! I'm gonna find him and beat some sense into that thick skull of his if it's the last thing I do!" He pounded his right fist into his palm, glancing around at his surroundings with a determined air.

A moment passed.

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!! WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW????" Ryoga slammed his eyes shut and barreled down the road in pure fury. Pieces of concrete flew into the air as his feet pummeled the sidewalk; he whipped around a corner and smashed straight into something that knocked him backwards three feet onto his butt.

He shook his head and glanced up at what he had run into- a man about the same height as Kuno, wearing a leather jacket and jeans with his hair held back by a black bandanna, a long white silk bundle slung over one shoulder. Ryoga didn't seem to care that the stranger hadn't been knocked backwards by the impact; all he knew was he was angry and someone was in his way. "Hey! Why the hell don't you look where you're going?!?" he bellowed as he struggled to his feet.

Shingen raised an eyebrow. "Why don't I look where I'm going?" he replied calmly. "You were the one that ran into me, buddy, not the other way around. I was just minding my own business when you shot around the corner and tried to knock me down, pal."

"Whatever!!!" Ryoga shot back. "I don't have time to argue about this; GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!" He yanked his arm back and punched forward as hard as he could- then blinked. His fist had collided with Shingen's left palm, held casually in front of his face, and had been stopped completely. The taller man hadn't recoiled even a bit and was glaring at Ryoga with ice in his eyes.

"Look, pal, I don't know what your problem is with me, but you need to calm down. I'm not really in any mood to fight somebody I don't have to; I've got too many other things to worry about at the moment."

Ryoga stared, speechless for a moment, just before his rage returned in force. "Dammit, don't toy with me! I'm not in the mood right now!!!" He grabbed his umbrella off of his pack and stabbed at Shingen repeatedly, so fast the umbrella became a blur- and the next thing he knew, the taller man had stepped _into_ the path of his attack, grabbed him by the wrist and in one fluid motion, whipped behind him, threw him to the ground and wrenched the umbrella out of his hand. Ryoga's eyes went wide as he glanced up; Shingen didn't even look fazed.

"You're a very angry young man," Shingen remarked, tossing the umbrella up and down lightly. "You also don't seem to be what you first appear; there's definitely a warrior's air about you." He glanced down at the still-stunned Ryoga. "Not many normal people could throw a punch like that, or strike that quickly, and I seriously doubt a normal high school kid would walk around with a 40-pound umbrella on his back." He set the umbrella down on the ground and folded his arms. "Who are you?"

Ryoga sat for a moment in silence. _This guy is good… he didn't even blink when I punched him, and I don't know how the hell he disarmed me that casually… it's like this stuff is second nature to him! Just like… just like Ranma…_ An idea popped into his head, causing him to smile almost imperceptibly. _Yeah… just like Ranma. Now that I think about it, in a one-on-one fight I've never really won against him. But with TWO on one… maybe if I can get on this guy's good side, he could help me turn the tide and teach that jerk the lesson he needs!!!_ He struggled to his feet.

"I'm… I'm sorry about all this, I've had a really bad morning so far," he said. "I apologize; I didn't mean to attack you like that."

Shingen raised an eyebrow. _Interesting… first he attacks, then apologizes. Oh well, I've seen worse. _"Everyone has a bad morning once in a while, that's no reason to attack another person," he replied. "But I will accept your apology; after all, no one was really hurt. Now I ask you again, who are you?"

"Oh, uh… Ryoga Hibiki. And you?"

"Shingen Yamashira. You live in this ward?"

"Umm… more or less," Ryoga replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I was sent by my father to probe into a series of mysterious happenings in this district. Do you know anything about this, have you seen or heard anything not normal recently?" _Seems a little on the confused side, but if he frequents Nerima he could provide a clue towards the source of the chaos stream. If only my damned aura sight was working again,_ Shingen pondered quietly.

"Ha! You'd be hard pressed to go one week in Nerima without something weird happening!" Ryoga chortled. "It's practically a hotspot for oddities and bizarre happenings; God knows I've done my fair share of fighting some of the weird things that crop up."

Shingen's eyes widened slightly. "You've had a hand in fighting the manipulations of the chaos stream?" he asked. "Interesting…" He looked at Ryoga for a moment, almost with an appraising gaze. "I will admit, you don't look like a Hunter… and I've never seen your family name in the Lists, either."

"Hunter?" Ryoga asked, confused. "What're you talking about?"

"My bloodline's legacy," Shingen replied. _I guess he isn't aware, but if he's encountered the occult in Nerima there's not much harm in telling him._ "The legacy of the Demon Hunters."

Ryoga blinked. "De… Demon Hunters?" _What is this guy, some sort of rogue exorcist? He sure doesn't look like one… although that could be a priest's staff on his back wrapped in silk…_ "So what, you go around blessing houses or exorcising spirits, or…"

Shingen's eyes narrowed. "Do not confuse me with one of the weaker bloodlines," he said in a low voice. "An exorcist can only imprison or banish an oni, and even then it is only a temporal prison on the material plane. We Hunters do more than imprison… we return the demon to the hell it was spawned from."

_Okaaaayyyyy… _thought Ryoga._ This guy isn't making a whole lot of sense now. Must be delusional or something; 'return to the hell it was spawned from'? What kinda crap is that? He can't be serious!_ He paused in his train of thought. _Then again, this could be the key I need to get him on my side; even if he is a little on the goofy side, he is a fighter…_ "Well, if it's demons you're looking for, I've had my own fill of one particular demon for the better part of the past year."

"You have?"

"Oh, you better believe it! He's nothing short of chaos incarnate!! Doesn't matter where he goes, trouble always seems to follow him! I've fought him myself on numerous occasions, but he always, ALWAYS gets the upper hand! He's a thoughtless, barbaric, egotistical jackass, not to mention the girls who are always falling over him that he NEVER treats with respect; I swear, if somebody doesn't beat some sense into Ranma's head, he'll be like this forever!!!"

Shingen's eyes remained narrowed, his focus sharp as a blade. _Chaos incarnate… this could be the lead I'm looking for._ "You said his name is Ranma, was it? Bit of an ordinary name for a demon, don't you think?"

Ryoga dug a hand into his backpack, producing a pair of photographs. "Maybe, but this guy's far from normal! Look for yourself!" he said, offering the pictures to Shingen.

He took the photos, glanced at each one, then back at Ryoga. "Hmm. I'm guessing the young man with the black hair is the one you're referring to. He still looks fairly normal… but what's with the photo of the red-haired girl?"

Ryoga snorted. "Talk about abnormal; those are both pictures of the same person! Ranma can turn into a girl at the drop of a hat; if that isn't abnormal, I don't know what is!"

_A shapeshifter!!!_ Shingen thought to himself. _I thought the chaos could be the work of one of them,, but I didn't expect to actually find one here in Tokyo! If there's a shapeshifter afoot in Nerima, this could be worse than I thought._ He glanced up. "Mr. Hibiki, I think you may have helped me out a lot more than you realize. Where is this 'Ranma' now?"

Ryoga glanced at his watch. "Hmm. I'm guessing he'd be near Furinkan High right now; school should be letting out for the day. C'mon, I'll show you!" he said, barely hiding the scheming grin on his face as he turned down the sidewalk. _Just you wait, Ranma; today you'll learn your lesson whether you like it or not._

A cough from Shingen stopped him. "What?"

"I hate to tell you this, but you're going the wrong way." Shingen sighed. "Maybe I'd better lead; I studied in this ward as an exchange student seven years ago. I know where Furinkan is." He turned and began jogging in the direction Ryoga had been running away from. Ryoga shook his head and followed after a few seconds, a sheepish look on his face.

_This is no mere coincidence, meeting this young man,_ Shingen thought as he sped up. _This could be the break that I need… and at the right time, too. Without my aura sight, it might've taken me another day or two to get this lead. Now comes the hard part…_

To Be Continued.

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A/N: This was longer than my previous chapters, I admit, but a lot of stuff is beginning to happen and I didn't want to break it into smaller chapters. Coming up in the next installment: a misunderstanding ignites a new conflict. Trouble is looming on the horizon.

I'd like to thank The Shadows for your latest review; I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, it was something that I felt needed to happen between them and the only way I felt he could express himself without suffering from foot-in-mouth disease. To reviewer 'a', sorry, but Shingen and Ryoga aren't related. Good idea, though. And to all of my reviewers, I hope I've met your expectations with this installment. This is going to be a long tale, so please bear with me and keep sending those reviews in. Until next time… Neon Ronin


	4. A Terrible Mistake

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Special acknowledgement to The Shadows for assistance with translations which will be relevant in future chapters. I hope everyone is enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Oh, and Merry Christmas!

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 4: A Terrible Mistake

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"_You are unbelievable! I can't stand you one bit, Ranma!" "Hey, I don't have ta take that, you klutzy tomboy!" "Perverted BAKA!!" "That DOES it! You know what Akane, you can just walk home by yourself today, I'm OUTTA HERE!!!" "Fine!" "Fine!!" "FINE!!!"_

Ranma sat on the park bench, replaying the 'fight' at the school gates in his mind over and over. They'd certainly gotten the reaction they wanted; other students had cleared a wide path for them as they shouted each other down, just before dashing off in separate directions. Akane had headed straight towards home, and he had made a right turn and wound a twisted trail to the park. Yep, everything had gone according to plan.

Except, of course, that now he felt pretty lousy. "Where is she?" he wondered aloud. "This is where I said; park bench by the tree, near the fountain… I hope she didn't get held up by someone… or decide not to come after all." He sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "Nah, she'll be here… but then again… if that was an act, she's better in theater than I gave her credit for. She really sounded pissed." A shadow crossed his features. _I just hope she wasn't actually pissed. Things're actually starting to look up between us, I don't wanna wreck it… _Light clouds began to pass over the afternoon sun.

A hand rested lightly on his shoulder. He opened his eyes, looking up towards the owner of the hand who was standing next to him with a soft smile on her face.

"You alright?" Akane asked as she sat down next to him, to his left.

Ranma shook himself out of his reverie and smiled back. "Yeah, now I am… I guess I was… well, I guess I was still kinda afraid you might've taken that argument too literally."

Akane took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. "You were the one who told me not to take it seriously, remember?" she said with a hint of a laugh. A moment later her smile dimmed a bit. "Though I must admit, after the way I was shouting earlier I was a little nervous I wouldn't find you here… that maybe I'd actually hurt you again."

Ranma sighed. "I know, I felt the same way. I know it's almost second nature for us by now, but I really don't want to do that again. I don't want us to fight like that anymore, Akane."

"Me too," she replied. "The fact is, we shouldn't have to fight just to keep up appearances; there has to be a better way."

"That's actually what I was hoping we could talk about." Noting a questioning look in her eyes, he shifted his position on the bench to face her a bit better. _There's no way I'm gonna screw this up,_ he thought to himself.

"You know… what I told you last night… I've actually wanted to tell you for a long time now, but something was always getting in the way. Usually my own ego. I- I guess I just got so caught up in being 'manly' by hiding my emotions, that when it came down to it I just couldn't say anything without messing up… just… I dunno… an' without knowing how you felt about me, that made it a lot harder to actually say it. Maybe if I'd stayed at home with Mom instead of being dragged away on Pop's training trip, I might'a learned how to actually say what I feel instead of snapping at ya all the time."

"Yeah… I know what you mean," Akane sighed. "I was the same way for the longest time after my mom died… I was so alone, but Dad kept telling me I had to be strong, make her proud of me and not to let it drag me down. But… it was still really hard with her not there… so I took it out on whatever I could. Whether it was breaking cinder blocks… or getting into fights…" She looked up into his eyes. "But that's still no excuse for the way I've acted around you. I want to stop being angry… I really do… and… I really hope we can put all the bad stuff behind us."

"Me too… but it ain't gonna be easy," Ranma replied with a nod. "That's actually the other reason why I hadn't told you before… how I feel…" He straightened up. "I wasn't just afraid of garbling my words, or that you'd reject me, though those were the two big reasons… the fact is, I was afraid if I said what I felt, I'd be putting you in danger. If word got out to Kodachi, Shampoo or Ukyo that I was falling for you, I was scared to death it'd turn into a free-for-all and… they'd try to hurt you… or worse…"

Akane blinked. "You mean that's why you'd deny things between us so vehemently? You weren't refusing me, you were trying to protect me?"

"Well… more or less… I- I just didn't want to see you get hurt by any of them, that's all. Otherwise I woulda told them all to go pound sand a long time ago…"

"I always did wonder why you never did much about their advances," Akane murmured with slight frown on her face. "I used to think you enjoyed the attention…"

Ranma sat up. "From them? No way. No. Way. In. Hell. Look who I'm dealing with- a psychotic gymnast with a chemistry fetish, an obsessive, mindless delivery girl and a former childhood friend that I always thought was a boy. There is no way I could care about them… ANY of them… the way I care about you." He squeezed her hand gently, bringing a smile and a light blush to her face. "I swear to you, even Ukyo will only ever be a friend to me at best… though with the way she acted at the ceremony, I'm not so sure we'll ever be as good friends as we used to be," he added in a low voice. "In her case, I shoulda been able to tell her not to pursue me, but… I didn't want to see her cry…"

"You… you didn't want to hurt her feelings," Akane said softly. "I guess I can understand that- she is a nice person, and she and I have gotten along pretty well when we weren't fighting over you."

"I didn't really wanna hurt any of their feelings," Ranma continued. "I just didn't know how to get out of any of it, at least not honorably. Maybe it's stupid, but I can't bear to see any girl cry… Don't get me wrong, when I see you cry it rips at me the worst…" He let his head fall forward. "I don't really wanna hurt anybody, Akane… but I'm not gonna hurt you anymore by doing nothing. I'm tired of it all. And I won't let any of those three hurt you when they find out how I feel."

"You really think they'd come after me?"

"In a heartbeat."

Akane nodded slowly, then straightened up a bit. "Well, so what if they do? I'm a martial artist myself, you know, I don't think they'd pose that much of a problem."

"Akane… they'd be a problem, and you know it as well as I do. They may not like each other, but they do share one common ground- they don't like the idea of you as my fiancée."

"Huh? What, you don't think I'd be able to handle myself against them?" Ranma sighed, and Akane's face fell. "You… you really don't think I could defend myself, do you?" she said with a catch in her voice. _He really does think I'm lousy at the Art…_

"In a fair fight, bare handed, yes, I'd say you could stand off against any one of them- for a while at least," Ranma said, causing her eyes to widen slightly. "But you gotta remember, each one of them has a particular weapon style… and _none_ of them fight fair, not even Ukyo." He smiled slightly, gently taking her hand again. "Listen… I've seen you in action. An' to be honest… I think you've got incredible potential. I've seen what you're capable of- but you just aren't using it as much as you could be. Hell, those times we fought off the Dojo Destroyer, or Natsume and Kurumi… once we got past our egos, we really kicked their butts, didn't we?"

Akane gazed into his eyes in surprise. "Yeah… we did, didn't we?" she said, smiling a bit. "But I'm still nowhere near as good as you are… and I guess I am a real klutz sometimes." Her eyes began clouding again, and she looked away. "Not to mention the other things, like how I can't swim… or my cooking…"

She felt a gentle pressure under her chin as he lifted her head back towards him. "Don't talk like that. Didn't you hear what I just said? I said you have potential… with a little work, hell, I think you could be just as good as- if not better than- any other fighter in Nerima." He paused, then chuckled. "Maybe even as good as I am- but it won't happen overnight."

"You… you really think so?" she asked, a smile rapidly spreading across her face. "You think I could get better?"

He nodded. "I know it. I saw it earlier this morning; you're a lot faster than you give yourself credit for. You just have some rough edges here and there that need work… and I do mean a lot of work… and I'm not tryin' to make fun of you, I swear I'm not. You know it as well as I do."

"Yeah… you're right, I do know," she said. "And I really do want to get better… not just for myself, either. At least, not anymore." She smiled. "I want to help you get out of this mess. I want to do something for you for a change."

"You… you do? You wanna help me?"

"Of course, baka," she said with a giggle. "After what you told me last night, how could I not?" She took his hand and held it in her lap. "And I'm really glad you think I've got potential… but I don't think it'll be that easy to bring it out. I don't know where to begin."

"Well… if you want to help me, would you… um… be willing to… let me help you?" He swallowed hard. "I mean… I wanted to offer before, but… I wasn't sure if you'd be offended if I did. An' besides, after all the stupid jabs I've made about your skill, I guess I was scared you wouldn't believe me."

Akane blinked. _Did he just offer to train me? What am I saying, of course he did! He does believe in me after all…_ She smiled. "I… I'd like that, Ranma. I'd like that a lot. That means a whole lot to me…" A thought passed her mind and her expression became serious again. "Does this mean you're actually going to spar with me instead of just dodging all the time?"

Ranma sighed. The dull throb behind his eyes was returning, but he ignored it. "I know you don't like it when I do that, Akane… but I don't think I could bring myself to actually hit you… you know I hate to see you hurting, especially when it's my doing." He looked up. "I'll figure somethin' out, though… and at the same time I'll try an' help you with your problem areas instead of just criticizing ya. I won't lie to ya, it's gonna take time and a lot of patience, but it'll be well worth it."

"I sure hope so… Thank you, Ranma. Thank you so much."

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"There he is. Just ahead, on the bench." Ryoga growled. "Can't see who he's talking to, though…" He and Shingen stood just outside the park gate, just out of sight. It had taken them a considerable amount of time to get there; once they had discovered Ranma had left school heading for the park, Ryoga had tried to lead them there and had taken a few unnecessary side streets. Shingen had finally taken over and practically dragged Ryoga to the park. "For all I know he's probably chatting up some girl," Ryoga continued. _If he is, I'm really gonna bean him good. Why the hell can't he treat Akane better after what they went through? And Daisuke said they had ANOTHER shouting match before they left! I'm gonna teach him some sensibility if it's the last thing I do…_

"I don't see why you insisted on coming along so vehemently," said Shingen as he tightened his fingerless gloves. "You've already said you faced it before and lost, there's no real reason to get involved." _On top of that, I'm not in any mood to be babysitting you if there's a shapeshifter involved. This could get messy in a big hurry._

"Oh, believe me, this is something I've been waiting a long time for…" Ryoga replied, cupping a hand to his ear. "Ssshhh, I think I can hear something."

"…it'll be tough, I know, but one way or another we're gonna sort this out. An' not just with one fiancée- all of them. You know I don't want anyone else in my life but you…"

_That bastard!!!_ Ryoga thought to himself._ He's found another girl and wants to dump ALL his fiancées for her?!? That… that means… he's gonna leave Akane behind, and after he saved her too… HOW DARE HE!!!_ "That does it," he snarled, standing up from his crouch. "Time to make him pay."

A gloved hand restrained him. "Hibiki, back off. This isn't your fight, this is something you can't handle right now. You've done your share of alerting me to its presence, so just stay out of this one. Let me…" He got no further as Ryoga broke free of his grasp and barreled into the park.

"RANMA, YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!!!" he screamed, flipping his umbrella off his back. "You think you can just prance around, doing whatever the hell you want, without a thought in the world towards…"

"Ryoga? What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ranma shot back as he jumped up from the bench. Akane followed suit, a bewildered look on her face at the exact same instant Ryoga rounded the tree. Just then he caught sight of the two of them and drummed his feet to a rapid halt. The fury on his face twisted for a second, then collapsed into sheer astonishment.

"A… AKANE???" he gasped. _He… he was talking with her the whole time? It wasn't someone else? He… he was actually being civil towards… oh no… I didn't want her to be around when I… and that so-called 'Hunter' is right out… dammit, this isn't how I planned it! What do I…_ His train of thought was rapidly cut short by the impact of a silk-wrapped object to the back of his head, causing his eyes to bulge briefly and his knees to give way, followed by his body splaying itself across the ground. Behind him, Shingen stood quietly in a loose stance, the long silk bundle in his right hand.

Akane stared for a second, then shook herself back to attention. "Wha… what was that all about?" She glanced up at the new arrival, who was gazing at the two of them with emotionless eyes. "Who are you? And what did you just do to Ryoga?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Shingen replied as he knelt and grasped Ryoga by the shoulders, pulling him aside and setting him against another tree. "Just a light tap; he'll be out cold for a few minutes or so, nothing more. I didn't want him interfering." He straightened up, turning back to face them.

"Interfering?" Ranma queried. "Interfering with what? And who the hell are ya anyway?"

Shingen leveled an icy glare in Ranma's direction. "You are the one they call 'Ranma', correct?" he asked.

"Uh… yeah, that's me." _I've got a bad feeling about this…_

"Shingen, of the House of Yamashira." His hand slid to the ties holding the silk sheath in place, flipping them open rapidly. A quick tug and the wrapping whipped away, revealing the ebony staff and sheathed blade of his naginata. The gold runes along the staff shone brightly in the afternoon sunlight; he twirled the weapon and yanked the scabbard off of the blade. Adopting a loose staff-fighter's stance, he glared at Ranma once more. "Pray the spirits of hell are capable of mercy, for I will show you none myself, demon."

"Ex- excuse me??" Ranma stammered, wide-eyed. Akane blinked, an exhausted look on her face. "Oh, great… is this another person from your past come for revenge or something, Ranma?" she groaned.

"Don't look at me, I've never seen this guy before!!" he retorted. "Hey, what's the deal? What'd I ever do to you?"

Shingen's eyes narrowed. _Evasive. Just like most demons would be once confronted._ His perception shifted slightly, causing him to wince. _Still can't get a clear look at his aura, though._ "I hold no personal vendetta against you in particular, shapeshifter," he said, "only that which all Hunters have against your kind. I will not permit you to remain on this plane and contribute to the chaos stream any longer."

"Wait a second… shapeshifter? Where'd that come from?"

"Are you denying that this is not your sole form, demon? You have the capacity to masquerade as a female, do you not?"

Ranma stared. "Well… yeah, sorta, but where'd you hear about…"

"Then my source was telling the truth," Shingen said with ice in his voice. "Girl, you'd better get out of here; I don't want any more innocents caught up in this."

"What? What makes you think you can order me around when you're threatening him like that?" Akane shot back angrily. "This isn't funny, you know! You come in here out of the blue, call him a demon and tell me to get away? I swear, you're as bad as Kuno is!"

"I said, get out of the way. You have no idea what you're standing next to."

Akane bristled. "I know damn well WHO I'm standing next to, thank you very much! I'm standing next to someone I care for a lot, and I know he cares for me! We were just trying to sort things out between us before you and Ryoga barged in on us!"

_So the shapeshifter's begun manipulating the heart of a woman… typical._ "This has gone on long enough. Demon, prepare yourself." He raised the naginata in one hand and began to swing it back and forth in wide circles. The circles began slow at first, but gradually built up speed until the staff and blade became a blur. Loud whirring sounds echoed through the park as the polearm slashed through the air. Ranma instinctively brought his hands up, bracing himself while trying to read Shingen's moves. "Akane… maybe you'd better move aside a bit; I don't like the looks of this an' I don't want you getting hurt…" was all he managed to say before Shingen did something unexpected. He hurled the naginata up into the air as hard as he could, twirling end over end higher than one might have thought possible. The next second, Shingen sprinted forward in a blur and launched into a flurry of punches at Ranma's head and chest. Ranma snapped to attention and began blocking punches as rapidly as he could, discovering very quickly that it wasn't an easy task. Not only was Shingen punching hard, he was punching efficiently and fast, hardly any wasted motion at all. _Damn, this guy's good… really good!!!_ Knuckles cracked against forearms and open palms for a few seconds before Shingen ducked and spun in a circle, sweeping at Ranma's feet with his left leg. He jumped over the sweep easily- and then winced in pain as Shingen spun _again_ and drove his right heel into his right side. Ranma hit the pavement just as Shingen ducked in and smashed his right fist across his face, knocking him to the ground.

Shingen pulled back and straightened up, raising his open right hand up to the sky. Without looking, he caught his rapidly descending naginata and lowered it blade-first towards Ranma. "You seem keen to make this hard on yourself," he said calmly. "Though I will grant, you're faster than I thought you'd be, demon."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!" Ranma shouted as he scrambled to his feet, adopting his preferred loose stance.

"What would you have me call you, then? Shapeshifter? Monster? It's all the same to me." He twirled his polearm once, then lunged to resume the battle. Ranma jumped in as well, and the two descended into a flurry of motion, bare fists versus bladed staff. This time, Ranma was better prepared, but still had his hands full blocking the rapid strikes and couldn't get in any of his own. Three times he came dangerously close to being cut by Shingen's blade, while the butt of the staff was cracking his limbs so hard he thought his bones would bruise.

_Why is this happening?_ Akane thought to herself as she backed away from the conflagration. _What is this Shingen person attacking Ranma for… and why does he keep calling him a demon? He doesn't look like one of Saffron's minions, and he sure doesn't act like one of the Amazons, so why? Gods, can't we ever have a moment of peace?_ She backed up against a nearby tree- which a dazed Ryoga was still convalescing under- and stared at the fight in silence.

"You're good," Ranma gasped, jumping away from Shingen's latest fury to catch his breath. "Real good, in fact… but there's no way I'm gonna let you beat me before I beat an explanation out of you." He breathed hard, glancing at the bruises forming on his forearms before returning his gaze to his perfectly calm opponent. _He isn't even winded yet,_ he thought. _I knew I had a bad feeling 'bout this…_

"I'll admit it, you're better than I thought you would be," came the reply. _He's much stronger than I would've expected of a shapeshifter… and faster, too. Better get serious._ "I haven't had a good warm-up like this in a long time- but now the fun is over, demon." He swung his weapon back, a golden-yellow aura enveloping his arms and the blade of the naginata as he did so. Suddenly his form blurred, bursting across the pavement and closing the distance between them. "SEKKAI KATTO SUTORAIKI!!!" he bellowed as the blade came down in a wide arc. Ranma drove his heels into the ground and pushed backwards mere microseconds before the blade smashed into the ground, gouging a massive furrow more than nine feet long and well over a foot deep. Chunks of concrete and debris peppered the area with the force of a shotgun blast, and Ranma winced as several stones dug into his shins.

"Oh gods! Ranma!" Akane hollered in a worried tone, more out of instinct than anything else. _That move could've cut both his legs off if he hadn't dodged! Gods help us, this Shingen guy isn't just trying to beat Ranma, he's trying to kill him!!!_

Ranma scowled, regaining his footing as Shingen lunged through the waning cloud of dust, naginata in hand. "Okay, you asked for it now, you moron! This is what ya get for calling me a demon; KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!!" Ranma's fists became a blur as he darted in, striking hundreds of times in rapid succession. He began to smile as he felt his fists started connecting, but then his smile faltered. Shingen had raised both arms in a cross over his chest, and the pentagram sigils on the backs of his gloves were glowing white-hot. It was then that Ranma noticed there was a massive translucent disk of ki, shining gold with eldritch symbols burning within, directly between the two fighters. _He's creating a ki shield! My punches aren't getting through at all!!!_ he thought frantically. His eyes began to grow wide in uncertainty… and grew wider still as Shingen suddenly dropped the shield, grabbed Ranma by the wrist and hurled him across the park. He collided with the perimeter wall and stood there weakly for a second, stunned and breathing hard.

Akane was staring in shock. "Why are you doing this?" she shouted- or tried to shout, as the words didn't seem to want to carry. "Stop this! Do you even have any good reason to do this to him?" _Dammit, I've got to do something… but knowing Ranma and that blasted sense of honor he has, he'd hate it if I yanked him out of the fight! Maybe if I joined in, he wouldn't mind as much, but then he'd want to protect me and wind up getting hurt even worse! What do I do?_ She knelt and started shaking Ryoga gently. "Ryoga, wake up! Ranma's in big trouble and I don't know how he's gonna get out of it! I know you two don't always get along, but we could really use that brute strength of yours now…" Ryoga didn't reply, but remained lolling next to the trees in a total daze.

"Still have some fight left in you, shapeshifter?" Shingen mused, jamming the blade of his naginata into the ground and digging six runic throwing darts out of his jacket. "Impressive, but ultimately futile." _Still, this is no ordinary demon. He moves and reacts too much like his current form… a hanyou, perhaps? And for that matter, why hasn't he altered forms to suit the battle? He should be capable…_ The thought coursed through his mind for a moment before he shrugged it off, flinging the darts towards Ranma with the force of a nail gun. Ranma had just enough time to regain his senses and tumble to the right as the metal slivers embedded themselves in the wall.

"I'll show you futile!!" Ranma roared as he dashed in again, launching an all-out combination of punches and kicks that seemed to want to rival his previous speed. Shingen blocked, weaved and dodged as fast as possible, but eventually began backing away, his ice-cold expression never changing. _He's giving ground now,_ thought Ranma as he connected with two successive low kicks and a spinning backfist, eliciting a wince of irritation from his opponent. _If I just keep this up, I can wear him down!_

He didn't notice the smirk until it was too late. "Let me show you a true punch," Shingen said in a low voice, ducking in as waves of golden ki began to vibrate around his clenched right fist. "JINRAI TEKKEN!!!" The fist shot forward, driving into Ranma's midsection with a crash akin to a sonic boom.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment; agonizing pain shot through his gut as wave upon wave of ki energy blasted through him. Every breath in his lungs rapidly exited, forced out against his will. His eyes refused to close, forced open in total shock… and the next second, he was colliding heavily with the tree he had been sitting under in the first place. His and Akane's book bags fell off the bench as he collapsed to his knees, gasping for air and holding his stomach in anguish.

"No… oh gods, no…" Akane whispered as Shingen yanked his weapon out of the ground and approached Ranma once again, who was now struggling to stand up with a faint trickle of blood running down the corner of his mouth.

"It's over now, demon." The tall fighter spun his polearm once, then drew the weapon back. "May your passage cleanse the world and bring order where there was once chaos." Ranma glared upwards as Shingen approached, his mind racing to come up with a solution.

_He… he's just as fast as me, and his techniques are like nothing I've ever seen before…_ He grunted as he managed to regain a standing position, ignoring the fire in his stomach and the ache behind his eyes. _He isn't even trying that hard or getting worked up, either. It's like this stuff is second nature to him… not even angry… and if he's not enraged, I can't use the Hiryu Shoten Ha…_ Suddenly he caught sight of the naginata's silver blade sweeping forward. Desperately he planted his feet and pushed backwards and to the side, but collided with the tree just as the blade tore a wicked gouge into his left side. He gasped and dropped to his knees, blood running down his side in a slow cascade that turned part of his red Chinese shirt a darker shade of crimson.

"RANMA!!! NO!!!" Akane screamed as she sprang up and dashed into the midst of the two fighters, jamming her elbow into the gut of a very startled Shingen as she did so. She threw herself defensively over Ranma's body, tearing off a piece of her dress and pressing it frantically against his wound. "Oh gods, this can't be happening! I'm not going to let it end like this!" she whimpered, looking closer and noticing that, thankfully, the gash wasn't as deep as it had first appeared and no vitals had been damaged. She knew he'd gotten hurt like this before and pulled through, but actually seeing it happen tore her heart to pieces. "I'm not gonna let him take you away from me," she cried, tears flowing like water. "If he wants to kill you, he's gonna have to go through me first!"

Shingen had made no move as she had darted in, and still refused to move. His eyes were wide with surprise… and not just because of her interference. In the brief instant his blade had connected with Ranma's abdomen, something had ebbed away from him and power began to course through him as it had before his journey to China… and his aura sight had returned, albeit weakly. He had immediately rejoiced that the backlash he had suffered was draining away, but was then shocked by several things hitting him at once.

_He hasn't changed forms once during our entire battle. He moves too much like a human…_

_Blood… there's blood on my blade! Red blood… not the white ichors that burst from a demon when they are cut…_

_His aura… I can see his aura now, though it's still very fuzzy…_ He gasped.

_That's not a demonic aura! Even fuzzy, I can still tell demon auras apart, and that's not one of them! Then that means… that means I've been fighting another human all this time? Not a demon at all, but a fellow human being? And… and I would have killed him too, if I had continued and used my full power…_

He let his naginata slip and clatter to the ground beside him. "Dear gods… what have I done?"

To Be Continued…

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Author's Note 12/20/04: Well, with Xmas approaching I felt it wise to finish this while I had the chance. Things are getting complicated for Ranma now, especially after being faced by someone his apparent equal- though with a different skill suite. And now, some of what has been featured herein.

_Sekkai Katto Sutoraiki:_ Stone Cutting Force Strike, a ki-driven technique for finding chinks in even the toughest armor. By focusing ki energy into the edge of one's weapon, one can cleave through stone and even steel as if it were jelly.

_Jinrai Tekken:_ Thunderclap fist. Unlike Ranma's Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, this is a single strike that utilizes ki vibrations to deliver waves of destructive power into one's target. Can easily shatter stone or bypass armor; could very easily kill a normal human being if used at full force. Remember, though, Ranma is far from a normal human being.

I won't bother with translations for the moves Ranma uses; those aren't of my own design. Acknowledgement for translations belongs to The Shadows; many thanks.

I may be taking a short break from posting until after Christmas, but rest assured there's more on the way. Next chapter- Shingen is pissed that he just attacked a human, and he wants some answers! Please review; each one is a little more incentive to write faster!

-Neon Ronin


	5. Consequences

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Thank you for your continued support and reviews. Now it's time for things to start heating up a bit more. Enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 5: Consequences

Ranma's breathing turned harsh as he grasped his side and tried to struggle up to his feet. His body was screaming at him to back down, but his mind spoke differently. _I am not gonna let this guy get the upper hand. I can't let him take me down…_

"Ranma, stop it!" Akane cried, pushing down on his shoulder gently. "You don't have to do this, you're just going to make it worse! I'm not going to let you fight him again!"

He stared at her in disbelief. "A… Akane, get out of here, please… you're gonna get hurt…"

"I'm going to get hurt?" she exclaimed. "What the hell is wrong with you? Gods, look at yourself! You're a wreck…" She pressed her right hand harder on his left side, trying to keep his blood loss to a minimum. "Just stop this and let's get away from this maniac and get you fixed up…"

"Please, 'kane… I gotta stop him. I can't let him finish me off… I'm not gonna let him…"

"Damn it, Ranma Saotome!!!" His eyes went wide as he realized her voice had taken on a pleading tone and tears were starting to run down her face. "If you keep this up… instead of him killing you, you're just going to kill yourself! You… you do this every single time… every fight that gets really bad, you get so focused on winning that you don't even bother to think about your own safety! You just dive in headlong, regardless of how badly you wind up getting hurt… how do you think that makes me feel?" Her left hand stopped pressing on his shoulder and rested lightly on it instead as she began to shake. "I… I know I never said much about it before… mainly because I didn't know how you felt… but every time you do this, whether it's against Kirin, or Cologne, or even Azusa and Mikado, you scare me so much… that m-maybe you'd really wind up f-fighting to the d-death… I don't want that from you, please! It's not that I don't want you to fight, I j-just want you to be able to come b-back from that fight…" She leaned forward, wrapping her left arm around his neck and resting her head against his. She could feel his breathing slow, no longer harsh but measured, calmer. The blood coming from his wound had slowed to a dribble.

"You don't have to prove anything to anyone," Akane cried into his ear softly. "I know how strong you are. I believe in you… but I won't let you tear yourself to pieces trying to beat him… I- I love you too much to let you do that…"

Ranma let out a long breath. He knew she was right; there'd been many of his fights when he hadn't given a single thought to his own well-being. A lot of those times had simply been mule-headedness or his own pride that he felt was on the line, but just as many times he'd been more concerned for her. He remembered throwing himself in harm's way countless times just so she wouldn't get hurt- the ice skating challenge being one of the more vivid times he had done so. His eyes clamped shut as he realized he had never thought she would be so concerned about him… but back then, he had no idea if she cared or not. _I always thought her spirit was so strong she could shake anything off, even if I got banged up a bit… now look at her… I never noticed how sensitive she really is…_

He brought his left arm up and rested it on Akane's back. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I… I didn't know I was hurting you that much…" He broke off and gasped as a fresh wave of pain shot across his gut and his forehead.

"It's okay… come on, we need to get out of here. Dr. Tofu's isn't far…" She trailed off as she suddenly became aware of a gentle warmth enveloping the two of them. She opened her eyes and stared at the soft golden aura that was washing over them- not a battle aura, and not coming from either one of them.

"_Naosu Kousen,"_ said a voice behind her. Her eyes went wide and she glanced back behind her; Shingen was standing just a foot or two away, his index fingers and thumbs pressed together in a triangle formation. His eyes were closed as if in meditation, and the golden light surrounding them seemed to be emanating from his outstretched palms. The glow seemed to intensify and Akane winced, expecting something nasty to happen any second. Instead, the warmth of the aura stepped up a fraction- not uncomfortably, but soothingly. For a second it felt like they had been immersed in a hot spring. Akane glanced down at Ranma and was startled to see his bruises rapidly fading… but more surprising, the wound that had been inflicted by Shingen's naginata was closing. In a few moments, the gash had disappeared with only a faint pink line as evidence that there had been any harm.

Ranma blinked, taking in a deep breath- and wincing slightly. "I don't believe it…"

"Did… did that really just happen?" Akane asked with a catch in her voice. "How does it feel?"

He probed his side gently, wincing again. "Still hurts… but nowhere near as bad." He looked up at Shingen, who was standing perfectly still, arms at his side and eyes closed. "What was that? And for that matter, why?"

Akane stared at Shingen with a look of fury as well as trepidation. "Yeah, what's going on? First you attack him and almost cut him in half, then you do something and his wounds disappear… and for that matter, why the hell did you attack him in the first place? What are you, some kind of a sadist or something?"

Shingen dropped to one knee before them, his head bowed. "I… I've done you both a terrible wrong this day. I became so caught up in my mission that I lost sight of my goal…" He let out a long sigh. "I acted rashly, not giving myself time to ponder the facts or even allow my own abilities time to recover. Father was right… I should have waited to recover before pursuing this quest… and by assaulting you with Hunter techniques I have left a black stain on my honor." He clenched his fists fiercely. "I left myself open to misdirection and my own obsession with the Code, and because of that I very nearly took a fellow human's life. I cannot ask you to forgive something like that…" A single tear worked its way down the side of his face.

Akane blinked. The anger that was in her eyes faded, with a trace of confusion rising. "You're really not making much sense right now…"

Shingen sighed. "I, and others of my family bloodline, are Hunters." He looked up. "Demon Hunters, to be precise."

"Demon Hunters?" Ranma asked, confused.

"Families sworn to fight that which would poison humanity. Few are even aware of our existence… some even believe our kind to be extinct. But a few bloodlines still remain… and still fight." He looked at Ranma, contrition painted on his face. "I have only recently returned to Tokyo after an… exhausting ordeal, and in my own impetuousness felt I needed no recovery time. I was wrong. I made a grievous error in judgment… taking one man's words at face value without bothering to probe further. And because of that…" He trailed off. "May I ask you something, please?"

"Uh… yeah, I suppose…" Ranma said hesitantly, still taking in all Shingen had said.

"You did say you could take on a female form… is it something you can do at will?"

Ranma shook his head. "If you mean can I change whenever I want to, no. I'm cursed… sometimes I can control the trigger, sometimes not… an' I'm not real fond of it, either. I'd rather be normal again if I could help it."

"I see… a metamorphic curse, then. Not a natural shapeshifter…" Shingen mused. His eyes suddenly narrowed and his fists clenched. "How could I have been such a fool. This is inexcusable…"

For a few moments there was silence. Akane stared off in thought; Ranma winced as he tested his healing laceration. Shingen sat on bended knee and held his forehead in one hand, his teeth clenched.

"So that's why you kept calling him a demon," Akane said softly. "You thought that's what he was, and when he said he could become a girl, you took that as proof."

Ranma coughed. "I… I think this is all a case of a major misunderstanding. Gods know I've seen enough to last me the rest of my life…" He shifted his weight, gingerly standing up. "I won't deny, you whacked me pretty good there- but I can understand wanting to follow your instinct. I guess you figured you were just doing your job."

Akane stared at him. "Ranma! Are you just going to let this go? He tried to kill you!" At her words, Shingen visibly winced.

"I know that, Akane… but he didn't."

"He might have…"

"But he didn't. He saw what was happening, and he pulled back. Even patched me up, from the looks of it." Akane looked at the torn spot on Ranma's shirt again, and her expression softened. Even the red line was fading; the only evidence left of his injury was the blood which had soaked the fabric.

"I truly did not intend to harm any human this day," Shingen continued. "I was so intent on locating the nexus of the chaos stream in this ward, even in my tired state, that I allowed someone else to influence my actions…" His voice grew harsh. "Someone who claimed you to be a demon, or more precisely, chaos incarnate."

Akane's eyes widened. "So you were duped into fighting him… by who? And why?"

Shingen rose to his feet, a cold rage settling on his face. "I think we'd be best served to ask him directly," he said in a low voice before striding across to the tree nearby. He grabbed Ryoga by the collar and yanked him forward roughly, snapping him out of his daze. "Get up!"

"Huh? You mean…" Akane stared in shock. "Ryoga?"

Ranma blinked. "He's the one?" _Not really surprised that he'd call me a demon, though… I just didn't think he'd be that serious about it…_

Ryoga shook his head wearily, blinking hard as he refocused his eyes. He remembered dashing around a tree, trying to catch Ranma chatting it up with another girl- then the shock of realizing he was having an _actual_ conversation with Akane- then a massive blow to the back of his head, and it was lights out. "Wha… what was the number of that truck that hit me…" he mumbled before his eyes snapped open and stared up. The sight of Shingen's eyes seething with rage just about made his hair stand on end.

"Shingen? What… uh… what just happened…"

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, Hibiki," Shingen growled; the tone of his voice could freeze gasoline.

"Huh? What? What'd I do?"

"You LIED to me," came the reply. "Did you or did you not tell me that you had had trouble with a demon for the better part of a year?"

"Well, um… yeah, but I was just…" Ryoga was about to laugh it off as a figure of speech when Shingen interrupted him again.

"You understood me when I told you I was a Hunter, correct? I TOLD you it was my duty to return demons to the hell they were spawned from, did I not?"

Ryoga's eyes went wide. "Um… uh… y-yeah, I guess you did say something like that…"

"And you told me this 'demon' you had dealt with was 'chaos incarnate ', correct? Those were your words exactly."

"Okay, maybe I did say something like that, what does this all…" A movement off to Ryoga's side caught his eye; he glanced over and trailed off immediately, eyes widening even more at the sight of Ranma being supported by a speechless Akane, his shirt torn and bloodstained.

"What this all adds up to," Shingen continued, his voice rising, "is that you were at least somewhat aware of how I might react to hearing of the presence of a demon in Nerima. I told you I was investigating recent paranormal fluxes in this ward, at which point you gladly provided me with a tale of a shape-shifting demon you had struggled against. You even went so far as to point him out to me… and as an end result, I very nearly killed another human being on the assumption that he was this 'demon' you rambled on about." Shingen's grip on Ryoga's shirt tightened. "If my perception hadn't been suffering from backlash at the start of our fight, I would've seen his aura much sooner and none of this would be happening, but as it is, my senses were dulled to the point where I was relying on YOUR say-so. Is that what you wanted?" He jerked a now thunderstruck Ryoga off the ground and spun him around, pushing him away from the trees.

"What did you think- that I wouldn't take this seriously? Did you just tell me all those things because you were JOKING? Did you really not know what I would do if you fingered him as a demon… or were you aware of what I'd do, and actually wanted to set it up so that I would take another's life?" A moment passed; Ryoga remained silent and shocked. Shingen's aura was rippling and turning a violent shade of ice blue. "ANSWER ME!!!"

Ryoga gulped; clearly things had taken a turn for the very worse while he was out of it. _This wasn't what I wanted at all! I just wanted to make him realize how much of an ass he's been to her… I didn't want him DEAD!!!_ He scrabbled for words, but something inside him caused him to freeze up; he could barely even stammer. "I… l-look, this isn't all t-that cut an' dried… it ain't that simple! H-he started this all a l-long time ago when…" He clamped his mouth shut- both as a shocked reaction to his age-old defense, and in response to being lifted off the ground another three inches.

"I don't give a rat's ASS who started what, or what your problem may be with him!" Shingen retorted, releasing Ryoga's collar and pushing him backward, causing him to stumble and scramble to his feet. "Answer the question!!! Did you intend this as a joke, or did you want me to kill him?"

"I… I…" Ryoga was now completely flustered, at a total loss for words. Not only was Shingen rounding on him with the vengeance of a wounded tiger, he was too aware of the shocked looks he was getting from both Ranma and Akane. "I didn't mean…"

"Didn't mean WHAT? Didn't mean to cause such pain? Didn't mean to leave him alive when it was all over? Which one was it? Stop dancing around the issue and answer the question!!!" Shingen snarled, pressing forward and causing Ryoga to back up again. Neither of them noticed they had edged onto a large patch of rocks and debris created by Shingen's earlier Sekkai Katto Sutoraiki- or that they were right next to the park fountain.

"Ryoga, how could you?" Akane's plaintive voice hit Ryoga like a lance to the shoulder. "Why won't you just answer him? Did you… did you really want Ranma to… to…"

"No, wait! Please, you don't understand… I… I just wanted to… I…" He trailed off. Nothing he was preparing to say was going to smooth things over. He saw the battered look on Ranma's face, not to mention the shock and pain in Akane's eyes… and the way she had her arm wrapped around his waist, almost protectively. _They were actually talking… they aren't fighting, and she looks really worried about him… oh gods, what have I done?_ His brain locked up and he began to mutter incoherently. "What was I doing… I don't know… don't know…"

"You don't know? What kind of an answer is that?" Shingen shot back, stepping forward once more and giving Ryoga a hard shove. "How can you not know what it is you wanted? Are you that STUPID?" Ryoga staggered back, and several things happened at once. He felt his feet lose their grip in the midst of the gravel he was treading on. He became acutely aware of the backs of his knees colliding with the edge of the fountain, felt his center of gravity shift back, sensed his arms shooting out to reclaim his balance, but with his mind so focused on the angry warrior in front of him, and his battered rival standing off to one side with a stricken-looking Akane at his side, he completely forgot about stopping his fall in time and splashed, head-first, into the fountain, banging his head on a concrete water spout as he did so.

For a second, nothing happened at all… followed up by Shingen staring in bewilderment. "What in the hell… What is this?" Ranma cringed. _I knew it… I knew this would happen one way or another,_ he groaned inwardly, shaking his head. Akane's stricken look had turned to surprise as Ryoga fell in, but as she looked on her surprise turned to shock… and slowly became a look of pure horror.

_Oh… my… God…_

Shingen's hand darted forward, yanking a soggy and very dazed bandanna-wearing black pig out of the fountain, along with a soaked beige shirt. The remainder of Ryoga's clothes slid into a crumpled heap at the base of the fountain. "What is going on here? Is this some kind of a sick joke or something?" He shifted his perception slightly, still wincing at the exertion of what power was available. _There's a disruption in the aura… I can't quite place it, though. Still too damned fuzzy to figure out what's causing it, but there's a definite human aura in the mix. Not unlike this Ranma's aura. Wish I could get a focus on the type of disruption it is, or what its cause is._ "This is too strange to be a coincidence. Two people with metamorphic curses, and both in the same district of Tokyo? This is getting bizarre, and I know bizarre when I see it."

A sudden flare of light in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned slightly- and stared. Akane's body was wreathed in a cold blue aura. Her head tilted forward, causing her bangs to obscure her eyes, and her hands were clenched so tightly her nails were on the verge of drawing blood.

"My gods… all this time… I never saw it… not once…" Her voice was barely audible and devoid of emotion. Thoughts were racing through her mind at lightning speed, suddenly coming together in a moment of revelation, much like a person finally locating the missing piece of a jigsaw underneath the table. "They were never in the same place at the same time… he always carried that umbrella…" Other images began to flash through her mind, like how Azusa had called them both 'Charlotte' much to her own confusion… the similar rune pattern that had become etched on both of their bodies at roughly the same time… the bandanna… even the way they both behaved in Ranma's presence… Her body began to shake as she walked slowly towards her book bag. With a trembling hand she yanked out the thermos she'd packed that morning, spun on her heel and marched over to the fountain.

"What are you do…" was all Shingen could get out before she grabbed P-chan and stuffed him into the crumpled pants lying on the ground. A quick twist and the thermos was open, followed by Akane splashing half its steaming contents violently on the pig at her feet. The shock of hot water shook Ryoga out of his daze; he looked up and instantly froze. Whereas his last glimpse of Akane's face had seen her as shocked, his new perspective showed her in a boiling rage.

"Akane… please, I can explain…" He got no further as she punched him in the face so hard his jaw almost dislocated.

"You BASTARD!!!" She stood over him with her fists clenched, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You… you… so it was really you the whole time, wasn't it? All this time… and I never even gave it a second thought, either! I thought it was odd that I never saw you both at once… I never even put two and two together… the bandanna, the umbrella… the w-way you both acted around Ranma… I didn't even see it! And… oh, gods how could I have been such an idiot?!?" The tears were starting to flow rapidly now, her face a mask of one who had been betrayed.

"And you never said a damned thing about it… you didn't tell me, didn't try to stop me… I… I… oh gods, I took you into my BED!!! I thought it was just a cute black pig who needed a friend, some harmless animal I could take care of, and all the while it was you!! And you didn't say anything then, either!" She grabbed his hair and yanked him to his feet before winding back with her left hand and slapping him across the face hard enough to actually draw blood. "I… I t-told you some of my d-deepest secrets… I d-didn't think twice about changing in front of you… my gods, you saw me in the NUDE, you twisted pervert!! And here I'd thought you were kind of a nice guy, Ryoga, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME????"

Ryoga stood shaking, overcome with shock and guilt. He knew full well he should have said something to her sooner, but he was so wrapped up in the charade by then that he hadn't had the heart to tell her. Part of him had still held a glimmer of hope that she might still accept him as a pet, if nothing else, but face to face with her wrath as he was, he knew he had been making a giant mistake. _But this wasn't my fault! I never meant to be this way; he's the one who's responsible…_ "Akane, it's not what you think! T-this is all Ranma's fault! He was the one who got me cursed in the first place! He's known all about it and never said a word…" He trailed off as Ranma began limping closer with a scowl on his face.

"I would've told her long ago if you hadn't forced me to swear on the Warrior's Code and my own honor that I wouldn't say anything," he growled, his scowl more at himself than at Ryoga. "I felt sorry for you… you're right, I was sorta responsible… but I knew I made a mistake when you started usin' my silence to get to her. I'm a man of my word, so all I could do was hint or chase you off… I shoulda jus' told her in the first place, my honor and that oath be damned."

Ryoga's shoulders slumped; he looked apologetically towards Akane, who now looked more furious than he had ever seen her before. "I… I'm so sorry, Akane, I n-never m-meant…"

"Never meant what?!? Never meant to take advantage of me? Never meant to toy around with my feelings? Never meant to ogle me? Never meant to lie to some stranger on the off chance he might do you a favor and try to KILL RANMA?!?" A quick motion, and Akane had produced her preferred weapon and took a stride towards a now-terrified Ryoga. "All this time I'd made the mistake of calling him a pervert, and now I find out that the real one isn't just a pervert, he's a TWISTED SON OF A BITCH!!!"

Shingen had not said a word in the entire exchange, merely standing off to one side in surprise at the drama unfolding before him. He had seen more than his fair share of quarrels, of course, but this was one he could not fully fathom. His eyes widened as Akane proceeded to give Ryoga the worst thrashing he had ever seen between 'normal' humans; Akane's fists, feet and- most especially- her mallet became a violent blue blur. Then almost as soon as it began it was over, and one final crash sent Ryoga soaring skywards, courtesy of Air Akane.

--------------------

A moment passed. Her mallet clattered to the ground- where it disappeared to no one was quite sure- and she dropped to her knees, tears coming faster now as she held her face in her hands. "Oh God… how could I have been so stupid…" she whimpered.

Ranma was at her side in an instant, resting his hands gently on her shaking shoulders. "I'm so sorry… Damn me and my sense of honor, I shoulda told you. I thought my hints would be enough, but…"

She turned around and flung her arms around his neck, crying into his chest. "But I ignored you. I… I t-thought you were m-making f-fun of one or the other… all those pig jokes you made when h-he was around… I s-should've listened to you." She pulled further in to him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "H-he said you were… that you got him cursed? How?"

Ranma stroked the back of her head gently. "Right after Pops and me got cursed. I was so mad at my old man that I chased him all over the valley for the better part of a day," he whispered.. "I didn't even notice when I collided with someone… an' knocked 'em off a cliff into the valley… didn't know it was Ryoga until he showed up here in town the first time." He couldn't see her face, but hoped desperately she wasn't getting angry again. "When I found out, I felt really bad…"

"So then he played on your feelings and honor and forced you to shut up?" Akane whispered back.

"Yeah… gods, I'm so sorry Akane…" She responded by hugging him tighter and crying a bit harder.

"No… I'm the one who should be sorry, I made it worse when I yelled at you to stop saying bad things about P-chan." The name almost stuck in her throat. "And knowing you the way I do… I'm not really surprised you agreed to an oath like that. I don't like it… but at least you were trying to tell me indirectly…" Her tears turned into full sobs and she began shaking like a leaf. "And I never paid any attention! I just thought you were b-bullying that pig, and all the while you were trying to k-keep him from t-taking advantage of me… weren't you?"

"Yeah… I didn't want him hurtin' you, Akane." For a few moments, neither one said anything. Akane cried into his neck, cursing herself inwardly for how blind she had been. Ranma held her up and gently stroked her back, whispering reassurances that everything was going to be alright. Gradually her cries lessened and she relaxed, almost going limp were it not for the support of his arms.

The sound of a throat clearing reminded them both that they had company. They pulled away from each other just enough to glance in Shingen's direction; neither one let go of the other. Shingen had kneeled some distance from them, hands on his knees. He lightly bowed his head in their direction.

"I won't presume to understand all that has just transpired," he said in a low tone. "Some of this is more than likely none of my business. But what I do know is that because of a misunderstanding I now owe you a debt of honor. I thought I was acting in accordance with the Code; I was wrong." He shrugged his leather jacket off, straightening out his camo t-shirt and producing a tanto blade as he did so. The implications hit Ranma like a freight train and his eyes went wide.

"Hey, wait a second, man! What're you doing? You're not gonna…"

Shingen smirked. "You misunderstand. Hunter bloodlines are too few these days for us to be concerned with such a thing as seppuku… at least in circumstances where no innocents have perished." With that, the tanto flashed through the air, scoring a red line across his left forearm. Blood welled out of the wound in lethargic drips, running down his arm to the ground below. "I swear upon what remains of my honor and my blood, I shall repay my debt to you, Ranma. Something tells me our meeting- violent though it was- is not some simple coincidence."

Akane gazed levelly at him, wiping a tear away. _I haven't heard a blood oath sworn in a long time- except maybe by the Chinese Amazons, and even then they didn't spill their own blood… maybe this Shingen's not so bad after all._

Ranma took a deep breath. "I wasn't gonna ask you to do that, Shingen. This was all just a big mistake."

"Mistake or no, I want to repay you for what I did," Shingen replied. "And if it's not too much to ask, I would like to know a little more about you… it would seem the chaos stream winding through this ward may be affecting you in more ways than one."

"Chaos stream?"

Shingen smiled. "Perhaps we both have stories to tell." He ran his right hand along his forearm, generating the soft golden aura once more. Seconds later his wound had closed, though he made no effort to wipe the blood away.

"Ranma…" Akane said weakly.

"Yeah?"

"Can we go home now? I just want this day to end…"

It was Ranma's turn to smile. "Anything you want, Akane." He rose to his feet, gently helping her up.

To Be Continued…

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A/N: I do hope everyone had a good Christmas; I had some spare time so decided to try and complete this chapter faster. I do hope it lives up to everyone's expectations. Thank you for your reviews. And now, the featured move of the day.

_Naosu Kousen_: Healing Light. A therapeutic manipulation of ki energy, synchronizing with the body's natural healing processes and accelerating them. A bloodline technique that can't really be learned, only brought out. One of the many secret gifts the Hunter bloodlines are blessed with. Can be used to heal oneself or another, but cannot bring the dead back- there must be a living aura to synch with.

Wonderbee31: Shingen may have been a bit arrogant, but keep in mind his dedication to the Code. He thought he was following his tradition, and the fact that he was impaired screwed it up even more. Be assured he will be making it up to them- and as for Ryoga, IMHO he got what's been coming to him for a long time. Being exposed right after his part in the fight was revealed- no other reaction would suffice, Akane could not have held her temper after that double whammy.

The Shadows: Hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Glad you liked the fight sequence, and while Shingen didn't quite beat the snot out of Ryoga, somebody did- see above. As for him training Ranma and Akane… if I told you anything now, that would ruin the surprise, ne? Yes, Ranma may have been joking a bit when he said Akane could become as good as him, but that was really a throwaway line. More teasing might occur when the real training begins…

A: Hope things turned out to your liking. More fun is in store, and Ryoga has a lot more apologizing to do if/when he gets back to the Tendo Dojo. Yes, if Shingen had checked Ranma's aura before the fight it would have prevented it, but his perception was and still is suffering from the arcane overload he encountered in Chapter 1. That coupled with his dedication to the Code made him impatient and lose focus.

Hope you are all well. Stay tuned for the next installment- Shingen begins to learn more about the chaos in Ranma's life, and a new revelation emerges. I look forward to your reviews and comments. -Neon Ronin


	6. A Secret Revealed

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Without any further ado, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 6: A Secret Revealed

"Where are they?" Nodoka wondered aloud as she sat at the table in the Tendo's tearoom. "School should have been finished some time ago."

"I'm not sure, Auntie Saotome," said Kasumi as she approached the table with some tea. "I do hope they didn't run into any problems."

"With those two, you never can tell," Nabiki piped up from her place at the far end of the table. "I'll bet they're just taking their time, not a care in the world."

"Are you sure about that, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked. "I thought you said they got into a big argument just as they left the gates this afternoon."

"They were fighting again?" Nodoka's hand unconsciously brushed the tsuba of her katana, causing Nabiki's eyes to widen slightly.

"Yeah, but don't jump to conclusions yet. I'll bet you anything they didn't mean a word they were saying." She took a sip of her tea before continuing. "Look at it this way- everybody at school is so used to the way they've been acting, the whole 'engaged-but-I-hate-you' attitude that in all honesty was WAY transparent to begin with. How do you think they'd react if all that changed overnight? You think any of those morons would give them a moment's peace- let alone the ones that keep trying to get in their way?"

Kasumi nodded. "So you think they might have faked a fight to get some peace and quiet?"

"That's my theory, anyway. Besides, I saw the looks on their faces in the locker room; they were so caught up in each other they didn't even notice when I peeked around the corner."

Nodoka breathed a sigh of relief. "I hope you're right, dear. I've been praying those two would start to get along at some point or another; I'm very glad you chose to confide in me about their chat last night." Her face became serious for a moment. "I'm not one who would condone eavesdropping, mind you. It wasn't very polite to listen in on a private conversation…"

"We know, Auntie," said Kasumi. "We didn't intend to spy on them. We were just on our way upstairs when we heard them talking, and it wouldn't have been right to burst in on them. Gods know that's what Father and Mr. Saotome would have done, had they been in our place," she finished with a sour look on her face. Nodoka nodded, a similar look of disgust in her eyes.

"Yes, you're certainly right about that. Well, if anyone had to overhear… and let's just say it was an accident… I'm glad it was you," she said with a warm smile. "I do wish they would hurry up and come home, though. Soun and my fool of a husband might be home soon, and I'd rather they not know what we've been talking about. After what happened in their last push for a union of the houses, I think I'd prefer it if they were left unawares for the moment."

"Oh, don't you worry about daddy or Mr. Saotome," said Nabiki with a smirk. "I saw them both headed for their favorite bar the moment they were out the gate. Looks like they took my 'gentle prod' to get out and forget about the repair costs quite well. They'll be gone a good long while if I know Mr. Saotome's drinking habits." She chuckled, and Kasumi and Nodoka both laughed lightly. Just then the sound of the front door opening met their ears.

"We're home." The tone in Ranma's voice caused them to pause for a moment. He sounded tired, and a bit raspy. Nabiki hopped up from the table and made her way to the front hall, followed closely by Nodoka.

"Well, it's about time you kids made it back. Where ya been? Did you take my kid sister on a sightseeing tour of town or something, Ran…ma?" Nabiki trailed off as she rounded the corner and caught sight of Ranma and Akane in the doorway. Both of them looked absolutely haggard; Ranma's face still bore signs of exhaustion and pain despite the lack of bruises and his healed wound, to say nothing of the bloodstains adorning his torn shirt. It was also hard to miss the fact that Akane's dress had been torn at the hem, and her blouse and right hand still bore crimson stains from her attempt at first aid. She was leaning heavily on Ranma's left shoulder, while he had his arm protectively wrapped around her waist. She looked like she had been on a high-speed roller coaster several times, which was just how she felt- shaky, miserable and more than a little nauseous. She tightened her hold on Ranma's arm, lacing the fingers on her right hand through the ones on his left.

Nabiki reacted as they had expected. "Holy crap! What the hell happened to you two?" Just then Nodoka joined them in the hall and stopped, her eyes going wide.

"Oh my goodness! Son, what on Earth happened? Are you both alright?" Nodoka almost dropped her katana as she approached the two of them, glancing over them both. Kasumi entered the foyer at that point, gasping as she noticed their conditions.

"Got in a fight," Ranma said tiredly. Nodoka glanced up at those words, giving him a hard look. "Not with each other, Mom, geez."

Nodoka shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'd just heard you had a quarrel earlier, I was afraid that was true for a moment." She looked down briefly, noting their joined hands and allowing herself a small smile. "I should've known better- but what was it that happened? Did someone try and hurt both of you, Ranma?"

"Was it Kuno again?" Nabiki asked with her eyes narrowed. "Or that demented sister of his?"

"Nah," Ranma replied, "Kuno got a pretty painful message earlier today."

"Oh… yeah," Nabiki said with a wicked grin. "I'd almost forgotten about that…" Her eyes danced as she recalled hearing about it. _Bet Kuno won't be walking straight for a week,_ she thought.

Akane loosened her hold on Ranma slightly, staggering a bit as she tried to stand up. "Oh, Akane, don't try and strain yourself," Kasumi admonished gently as she stepped forward and steadied her little sister. "Does it hurt anywhere?"

Akane shook her head. "I wasn't the one attacked," she said softly. "Ranma was… and then… then…" She broke off, shaking her head against a fresh wave of tears. "One moment aside, this afternoon has just been pretty lousy. I really don't feel so good, sis…" She sniffled.

Nodoka was in the process of examining Ranma, casting worried looks at the amount of blood on his shirt. "Mom… you don't have to panic, I'm gonna be alright," he said as gently as he could manage.

"Alright? Son, look at yourself! I've never seen you like this before…" She trailed off as she lifted one of the torn pieces of fabric on his left side, where the largest stains were. She blinked in surprise, expecting to find a nasty cut and finding what looked to be a healing scar. Curiosity got the better of her and she pressed a finger gently across the line. Ranma winced, breathing in sharply. "That… still hurts a bit, Mom…"

Nodoka stood up. "I don't understand it, wounds that bad couldn't possibly close that fast by themselves. What's going on?"

"Some kinda healing technique," Ranma replied. "Once the fight was over, the guy I fought was nice enuf to patch me up."

Nabiki stared. "Someone bushwhacked you after school and then sewed you back together again?" Ranma nodded in response.

"Oh my," said Kasumi. "Who did all this?"

"I did," said a low voice just beyond the door. The others turned to see Shingen stepping over the threshold, duffel bag in one hand and his silk-wrapped naginata in the other. His leather jacket was draped over his shoulders; the hall light illuminated some of the etchings on the back of said jacket, revealing a circular pattern of runic sigils mixed with complicated kanji inscriptions. They were so darkly shaded, however, that few ever even noticed them under normal light. He brushed lightly at the dried patch of blood on his left arm, looking up at the people before him with a repentant look.

Nabiki narrowed her eyes at him. "Who are you? Never seen you in town before."

He set his duffel bag down just inside the door. "My name is Shingen Yamashira. You don't mind if I come in, do you?"

"You did this?" said Nodoka, her voice quickly becoming quite sharp. "You attacked Ranma?"

"I'm afraid the answer is yes," Shingen replied. He glanced at her face, then Ranma's. "You are related to him, are you not?"

"Indeed. I am Nodoka Saotome; Ranma is my son."

Shingen bowed his head. "Then I owe you an apology for my actions as well."

"I believe for now an explanation would suffice," she replied. "I would be very interested to find out what reason you would have to assault my son and his fiancée on their way home from school. In truth, this sort of incident has occurred on numerous occasions over the past year, most often due to the past actions of his father… my husband," she added, icily. "Is this another such incident? Were you seeking revenge for something done to you in the past by one Genma Saotome?"

"I wouldn't really be surprised if it is, personally," said Nabiki. _Add another tally to the Genma goof-up list,_ she thought. Kasumi said nothing, but nodded in agreement, a vexed expression on her normally pleasant face.

Akane straightened up. "No, Auntie, this time it wasn't Mr. Saotome's doing, or Ranma's," she said in a wavering tone. "This… this was all… this was all Ryoga's fault."

"Ryoga???" Kasumi asked, startled.

"That young Mr. Hibiki?" said Nodoka. "How does he fit into this?"

"He set me up," said Shingen as he unlaced his hiking boots and shook them off. "He told me something I wanted to hear, and in my impatience and foolishness I forgot to use proper judgment in the matter. Because of that, I made a horrible mistake and initiated combat with this young man, mistaking him for something which he is obviously not."

"Ryoga did that?" asked an incredulous Nabiki.

"More or less," Ranma sighed. "Never thought he had the foresight ta play people like that."

"I never thought a lot of things about that jerk…" Akane muttered softly.

"Akane, what was that?" Kasumi asked. "Did you just call Ryoga…" She got no reply except for Akane nodding viciously.

Ranma cleared his throat. "Maybe we'd better start at the beginning, it's a bit of a long story, OK?" He gently wrapped his arm around Akane's waist and the two made their way in to the tearoom.

"You're right, they do deserve a full explanation of things," said Shingen. "If I may come in, I'll explain all that I can. It's the very least I can do."

"I would appreciate that greatly, Mr. Yamashira," said Nodoka, the edge in her voice softening somewhat. "Do come in."

"Thank you, Nodoka-san," he replied with a bow. Nodoka smiled slightly as he did so. _He does have a sense of decorum, that much can be said…_

"Say, what happened to your arm?" Nabiki piped up. Shingen glanced at his bloodstained left arm and smiled wanly.

"Just a reminder, miss. Nothing to be concerned with." At that moment a loud thunk emerged from the tearoom, followed by the sound of something falling over, a splash of some kind, and a very disgusted female groan. The others gathered themselves up and swept into the room. Akane was sitting on the floor looking embarrassed, while a newly female Ranma sat nearby rubbing her shin. A small vase was lying on its side on the table and there was an obvious wet spot on Ranma-chan's pants leg.

Ranma-chan sighed. "Didn't look where we were going," she mumbled. "Almost made it through a whole day without changing, too." Nabiki rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Good to know some things stay the same," she chortled, eliciting a very icy look from Ranma-chan. Nodoka went to get some hot water while Kasumi began straightening out the vase and the table.

Shingen gazed levelly at Ranma-chan. _This is most intriguing,_ he thought. _Both he and this Ryoga altered forms with the same trigger- contact with water. That means it can't be a form of therianthropy- not like a werewolf, otherwise the trigger would be cyclical._ He shifted his perception, wincing again as he did so. _Still can't get a clear look at his aura patterns, though there's a definite disruption. Might be able to see better in the morning, then I can get a bit closer to nailing down a cause. Looks like I was right, though, there's some chaotic energies weaving their way around him at a pretty high pace. Whatever the cause of his curse is, it's a pretty strong one…_

--------------------

A short while later, after Shingen had been properly introduced to the other girls, the six of them had gathered around the table, half listening closely as the other half recounted the events of earlier that day. Ranma and Akane had been startled, to say the least, when they learned Kasumi and Nabiki had overheard their conversation the night before. A reassuring smile from the former and a sworn oath to keep it secret from the latter, though, allowed them to relax a bit. _At least they understand we don't want to make a big deal of this, least of all around our dads,_ they thought with a sigh of relief. Even more surprising to them was Nodoka's assurance that she wouldn't pressure them on the issue, that the last thing they needed was another parent looming over them expectantly. Ranma, especially, had felt his mother would be the most adamant they get married soon, if for nothing else than a show of 'manliness'; he even began to mention something on the issue but stopped when he noticed a look of remorse on her face. It was something he had seldom seen before, and he made a mental note to ask about it later.

Then Shingen began to recount the events leading up to the fight, and all attention was on him. By the time he had reached the part where he had realized his mistake and used the Naosu Kousen to mend Ranma's wounds, Kasumi was shaking her head in disbelief, Nodoka had a very severe look in her eyes and Nabiki was trying to appraise the value of Shingen's naginata.

"I never would have thought there were such a thing as Demon Hunters in this day and age," said Nodoka. "I always thought such people were the stuff of legends and myths, not real-life people. My father used to tell me fantasy stories about warriors who hunted monsters long ago, before even the Warring States Period…"

"So a real-life Ghostbuster beats up a ghost and finds a human instead?" Nabiki quipped. "Talk about mistaken identities."

"Please, it's not a laughing matter," Shingen said in a low voice. "Because of my own impetuousness I unintentionally violated one of the tenets of the Hunter's Code. It's my own fault for listening to Hibiki's claims."

"I can't believe Ryoga could be so cruel," said Kasumi softly.

"He was willing to chase me all over Japan over a years-old feud, Kasumi, don't forget that," said Ranma with a scowl. "I'd find it hard to put anything past him at this point."

"Especially after what he did to me…" Akane whispered harshly.

"I beg your pardon, Akane? What was that?" Nodoka asked. Ranma winced; he knew what Akane was about to say and he hadn't been looking forward to it. Akane took a deep breath and began to continue recounting the events of that afternoon, beginning with Shingen's apology and his accosting of Ryoga shortly thereafter. As she got further along, her voice began to crack, and when she recounted seeing Ryoga fall into the fountain, her shoulders shook and she fell onto Ranma's chest, bursting into tears.

"Wait a minute!" said Nabiki, eyes wide. "Are you telling me that Ryoga and that pig of yours, P-chan, _are the same person???_"

Kasumi and Nodoka gasped as Akane nodded her head. "Turns out Ryoga was cursed all this time," she continued, her voice shaky. "He just never… and I didn't… and…" She shook her head viciously, wiping her tears with the heel of her hand.

"Oh my," whispered Kasumi, a trembling hand over her mouth. "I don't believe it… and you were so fond of that little pig, you even took him to bed with…" She stopped, a look of total horror in her eyes as Akane nodded, a scowl on her own face. "Oh gods… how dare he do that to you!!!"

"This is utterly unconscionable," murmured Nodoka in a cold rage. "If this is true, that young man has broken virtually every basic rule of proper conduct in a woman's presence; I have never heard of a deception more dishonorable in my life." She took a deep breath. "With the possible exception of some of Genma's actions, perhaps…"

"Ryoga's not all bad, though… mostly he's stupid," Ranma muttered, eliciting several surprised looks around the table. "I ain't saying what he did was right, because it isn't. Believe me, I know all too well he screwed up big time… but he's also been there to give a helping hand sometimes. I know there's at least a few occasions where he and I even put aside our differences and fought on the same side, an' if we hadn't, things woulda been a lot worse."

Akane paused for a moment, then nodded a bit. "I know what you mean, but that still doesn't excuse the fact he lied to me… lied to all of us," she said in a low voice. "It would've been worse if you hadn't tried to keep him away from me… and now I'm actually thankful that you did…"

"Just a moment," Nabiki interjected. "Does that mean Ranma knew about this curse of his?"

"Ryoga forced an oath of silence on him the second he found out," Akane said quickly. "It was that night I first discovered that damn pig; Ranma must've found out when he took him and gave him a bath. Then that bastard played on Ranma's sense of honor and made him swear not to tell anyone… and you tell me, has Ranma ever broken his word once he gave it? Even if he didn't like what he was doing?"

A long moment of silence passed, eventually broken by Kasumi. "No… I don't think I've ever seen him break a promise once he made it."

Ranma let out a heavy sigh. "I felt sorry for him; at the time I figured he'd be embarrassed if I blabbed his secret. Then he turns around and uses that oath against me, so I figure if I can't say anything about it I might as well try and keep his damage to a minimum. So I'd try an' keep him out of her room or give the odd hint that something was up with him- I'd only sworn not to tell outright, nothing was said about subtle hints. But that usually got me in more trouble…" He stared at his hands. "Gods, I am such a moron. I wish I'd never sworn that damn oath."

"Yet you kept it, even with all the trouble it caused you. You kept your promise." Ranma looked up, surprised to see an almost sympathetic look in Nodoka's eyes.

"I couldn't go back on my word, Mom… but I couldn't let him get away with spyin' on her either."

She reached over and placed a hand gently on his. "I understand. As much as that may surprise you, I do understand your position, my son. Believe me, I know how it feels to swear an oath that turns sour on you." She closed her eyes against a tear that was threatening to escape. _I know it all too well…_

"This is all too weird," muttered Nabiki. "I mean, how'd he even get cursed in the first place? With his sense of misdirection he couldn't have tracked you guys down."

"Just dumb luck, really. He showed up the same day Pops and me got our curses, an' he walks right in front of the two of us just as I'm about to beat the living hell out of the old man…"

"And so he probably got knocked into…" Nabiki paused, waiting for confirmation, which came in the form of a nod from both Ranma and Akane. "Talk about some major bad karma."

"What was he doing following you in the first place?" Kasumi asked.

"That stupid duel of his I waited three days for in Junior High."

"You mean that foolish challenge over a few pieces of bread?" Nodoka asked. "The one he defaulted on by arriving four days late?"

"That's the one." Nodoka practically face-faulted.

"My word… maybe you're right, maybe that boy is just stupid," she murmured. "A lunchroom quibble isn't any reason to follow you and your father to China. If you ask me, it's his own fault for trailing you all the way to Jusenkyo in the first place…"

"JUSENKYO???" Everyone at the table jumped in surprise at Shingen's sudden outburst, which was followed by him pushing off the table to his feet. He turned and stared at Ranma, mouth open and his eyes dilated in shock.

A moment of silence passed, with a sweatdrop running down the back of Ranma's head.

"Did I hear you correctly?" Shingen asked in a low, serious tone. "Is it true that your curse is the result of an accident at the Cursed Training Grounds of Jusenkyo?"

"Um… yeah," said Ranma warily. "Pops' curse too, and Ryoga's… and a few others… why?"

The shock in Shingen's eyes faded, replaced by a vexed look. "No wonder the chaos stream is in motion the way it is… this is not good. Not good at all." He backed away from the table and began pacing. "Out of all the possible means of contracting a curse…"

"Wait a sec… what's going on?" Ranma asked, standing up. "What's the big deal?"

"I take it you're familiar with the Cursed Springs, then?" Kasumi asked.

Shingen turned to face them all with a sigh. "More than just familiar, Miss Kasumi. I destroyed that place no less than four days ago."

Ranma's jaw practically hit the floor. "Huh… wha… WHAT DID YOU SAY???"

--------------------

Ryoga groaned softly. Visions were dancing through his head to a madcap rhythm, punctuated by flashes of fire in his veins and a dull stomping throb behind his eyes. Light flared up and just as quickly dwindled away again, and fiendish laughter and screams echoed through the corridors of his mind. He could make out a voice, mirthlessly chuckling at him, taunting him. _It's all your fault, it's all your fault…_ He squirmed, trying to escape the sound that kept coming at him from all directions. Another shriek erupted not far from him, and he recognized its intonations. He turned and saw what he had hoped not to see… Akane, despondent and glaring at him with wounded eyes. _You lied to me… you tried to turn me against him… you never thought about my feelings…_ Each word sent daggers of ice into his heart; he tried to clamp his eyes shut but found that he couldn't.

The visions began to swirl. Suddenly Akane's clothes became entangled by an unseen force; Ryoga blanched and swung at the air around him uselessly as her dress and blouse ripped themselves to pieces. He could hear her screams, her pleas to be left alone; he slammed his hands over his ears but that only seemed to amplify it. Suddenly a menacing laugh pierced the veil of images and noise… a hellish, baritone laugh. Ryoga stared helplessly as a shadowy figure loomed in front of him, twice as tall as he was with burning vermilion eyes. The figure became swarthy, indistinct- then suddenly snapped into focus, and he gasped as he realized he was staring at himself. A giant, deformed, monstrous caricature of himself that seemed to blend his facial features with that of a wild black boar. It glared down upon him, seizing up the half-naked Akane and holding her, weeping, in front of his face. _Go ahead… take her… she is beautiful, is she not? And a fiery spirit, too… so delicious… she can be all yours…_

"No… no, make it stop… I don't want this… I'm not a monster… someone… help me…"

Something warm and wet pressed gently on his forehead. Abruptly the visions dwindled and disappeared, replaced by the overwhelming sensations of his broken and bruised body screaming at him. His eyelids fluttered, opening slowly.

"Ryoga sweetie? What happened to you? Are you going to be okay?" He glanced up, blinking his eyes hard. His vision slowly swam into focus, revealing the concerned face of a pretty green-haired young woman kneeling beside him, dabbing his bloodied forehead with a warm washcloth.

"Akari…" he sighed in relief. "How… how did I get here?"

Akari smiled weakly, caressing his cheek with her free hand. "I heard a loud crash outside and came out to check on the pens, and I found you there," she said. "Grandfather and I brought you inside; you look really awful." She dipped the washcloth in the basin of hot water near the futon and wiped the corner of his mouth, cleaning away a dried trickle of blood. "What happened to you, Ryoga?"

The wave of guilt began to wash over him once more. He looked at her concerned face and shut his eyes, fighting back the tears he knew were there. "Akari… I'm afraid I've done a terrible thing…"

--------------------

"You DESTROYED Jusenkyo?" Akane gasped, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Effectively, yes," Shingen replied. "It's nothing more than a lot of freshwater springs now."

"Whadja have to do that for?" Ranma groaned, slumping down at the table again. "Guess I shoulda known I'd never get my hands on the Nannichuan."

"You don't seriously think that would solve the problem, do you?"

Ranma stared at him. "Why not? It's about the only way for me to counteract the curse, anyway…"

"No, you don't understand," Shingen continued, his tone a great deal sharper. "There are several different means by which a person may be cursed to transform against his will. They aren't well-known because often the one cursed takes great pains to conceal his malady, but there are those of us who know of them. And those Cursed Springs…" He paused, shutting his eyes. "If a person is merely splashed with their water it's not nearly as bad, but something tells me you fell into the spring directly. Am I right?"

"Yeah… both Pops and me fell in. Ryoga too… when we accidentally knocked him off a cliff above the springs…"

"Damn," Shingen expectorated. He took a long breath before opening his eyes again.

"Do you even know the true power behind those springs?"

Ranma blinked. "You mean the fact a person or creature drowned in each spring, so now anyone falling in takes their form? Yeah, we found that out a bit too late."

Shingen shook his head. "That's only a small part of the story. Hardly anyone alive knows what's behind it all; even the Chinese, since they've lived in close proximity for so long, don't even give it a second thought. They never grew curious enough to actually investigate, so they never knew." He scratched the back of his head. "My family knew. We made it our business to know, as we do with all things supernatural. Up until recently, though, we've been too busy to actually do anything about it."

"So what's the deal, then?" Nabiki asked. "You did this to keep any more people from being cursed or something?"

"You may as well know, the springs of Jusenkyo were more than just a nuisance," he continued, his face hardening. "They were dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Ranma asked, eyebrows raised.

"The entire valley complex is situated over one of the most concentrated intersections of ley lines in the Eastern Hemisphere. That makes it incredibly saturated with magical energies, which in turn act as a beacon for chaotic forces. Look at it this way… didn't it ever strike you as odd that so many creatures would have drowned in the exact same location? Given, the time between different drownings was considerable, but for one hundred different beings to have migrated to the same location and met identical fates? That is a spectacularly improbable coincidence- especially when you consider that some of the victims were water-friendly animals! In all seriousness, have you ever heard of an octopus drowning, let alone a duck?

"No, it wasn't a coincidence at all. Something was drawing the victims there…" He paused, gazing around the room. "Drawing them in to act as gateways between worlds."

Akane froze. "Gateways… between worlds? You mean the afterlife, the realm of the dead?"

Shingen shook his head. "I mean the realm of my bloodline's ancient foes… the demons."

There was dead silence in the room as five sets of eyes stared at Shingen in disbelief.

"De… demons?" Ranma eventually stammered. "You mean…"

"Every one of those springs acted as a one-way portal," Shingen continued. "Every being that drowned in those springs… they became a template, a key if you will. Each spring served as a means for different demons to migrate into the physical world, by subconsciously luring new victims to the valley. The spirits could not escape unless a living being actually descended into one of the portals; this would enable their essence to merge with the victim, effectively bestowing a curse upon their body and mind. A simple splash of water would be an imperfect bond, only resulting in a physical transformation… but actually falling into the spring would be far worse. At first the curse would merely be an irritant, but the longer the curse lasts… the more influenced the person's mind would be by the demon's presence."

"Oh my," Kasumi gasped, her face ashen. "Then that means…"

"Yes," Shingen nodded. "In all likelihood, Ranma has been infected by the presence of a demon." _Which would explain the distortion I was seeing in his aura patterns; no wonder the chaos energies are so high._

"Ranma…" Akane whispered, a worried look in her eyes.

"Oh, my son…" said Nodoka softly.

Slowly Ranma got to his feet, a blank look on his face. "Would you excuse me for a moment… I… I really don't feel so good…" He stumbled, then ran out of the room, clapping a hand over his eyes. A few seconds later the training hall doors slammed open, then slammed shut again.

To Be Continued…

--------------------

Author's note 12/30/04: Yes, a nice little cliffhanger to welcome in the new year. Thank you for the continued stream of reviews, they've been a major incentive to crank this latest chapter out. The next installment may be a little bit longer in the making, but I'll try to have it finished within a week to 10 days. Things are, as you may have noticed, beginning to heat up quite a bit. Now the truth behind the Jusenkyo springs may not match precisely with the canon material, but I've always thought of it as odd that so many creatures would perish in said springs. Spring of Drowned Octopus? Gimme a break… there had to be something or someone pulling the strings, and there had to be a reason. Well, that's part of what I'm exploring herein.

I'm glad so many of you appear to like my work. Ranma-fanatic04, Tatsuki, AnnechanB, ForgottenSmile, thank you for your support and I hope this installment pleases you. Wonderbee31: I'm not sure if you meant Ryoga or Shingen helping Ranma out; as for how either of them may help out, you'll just have to wait and see. The Amazons will be getting involved shortly, I can tell you that much.

Lordrosse: Akane didn't really ask if she could train Ranma, she just offered a helping hand with some of his problems. You are right, her skill level is plenty behind his, but knowing her she'd still want to help out even if she couldn't do much. I can also understand your take on her reaction to Ryoga's secret, but when I was writing the chapter I couldn't see it resolving any other way. She'd just seen Ranma getting knocked around by Shingen, so I figured one more shock to her system would either send her into a rage, or faint on the spot. With the pace I'd set I just didn't see her fainting. Still, those are valid points you presented.

Thanks again for your support. Happy New Year. -Neon Ronin


	7. First Steps

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I decided to change the genres around because a lot of stories involving Ranma tend to be action-oriented by default- or at least the series is, anyway. It made sense to me to redefine it from action-romance to drama-romance, with a smattering of supernatural on the side. Without further ado, enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 7: First Steps

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Akane glanced up at Shingen nervously. "Was that all true?" she asked. "If someone falls into a Jusenkyo spring… they become possessed?" Frantic thoughts began passing through her mind, memories of when she had been attacked by Saffron's caretaker Kiima and thrown into a spring herself; this time, it wasn't the memory of her near-drowning that shocked her as much as what Shingen was saying. "W-what about the empty springs… d-do… do they do the same…" she stammered.

He shook his head, slightly confused. "No, a spring with no original victim is- or actually, was- a blank slate with no 'pattern' to allow a demon passage, in a sense. Nothing could pass through it to inflict a curse before it had found such a pattern. It'd really be the only type of safe spring, though I can't for the life of me think that there were very many 'uncursed' springs left in that valley." _Why would she ask a question like that?_ he wondered silently.

At that, she breathed a small sigh of relief- which quickly vanished as she remembered who was really at risk. "So since Ranma got knocked into the Nyannichuan… then that means he was…"

"If he fell in directly, I'm afraid so. Like I said, a splash of the water might cause a transformation and nothing else, but full immersion in the valley springs is another story," he replied, shaking his head. "The fact that his aura shows signs of disruption is evidence enough that something is wrong. It's definite evidence of his curse, to say the least; I just couldn't read it clearly enough to discern the cause."

Nodoka shuddered. "My son… I should have never let that man take you away…" she whispered before taking a deep breath and standing up. "Is he in any serious danger?"

The sound of boards breaking and a fierce scream of rage echoed from the training hall.

"I dunno about him, but judging by that reaction our floorboards may be in serious danger," Nabiki chuckled warily, her smile rapidly dwindling as the joke fell flat.

"Physically, at least, Jusenkyo victims are hardly ever in danger," said Shingen, folding his arms. "The real danger comes from within… once infected by a demonic mind, their will may eventually begin to falter, altering some of their behavioral patterns. Eventually it could lead to personality changes- or even severe psychological breakdown." He glanced around the room. "Keep in mind, though, I've only read about incidents such as these in the Hunter record scrolls. I only ever faced one Jusenkyo victim before I came here, several years ago when I was last on an assignment in China. In that case, the victim had been cursed for many years by what Father called a Yin-Yang spirit; it had polluted his mind to the extent he became an entirely different man when he transformed."

"What do you mean a different man?" Akane asked. More sounds akin to stones breaking wafted through the air.

"From what I could discern, his true nature was a brash swordsman. When he changed forms, though, he turned into a short, feeble man with the personality of a meek monk. My mission didn't concern him, though, so I wrote it off and never found out if he'd recovered. In truth, I'd completely forgotten about that incident until you mentioned the springs."

Akane blinked, putting a hand to her head. "I think Ranma and Mr. Saotome mentioned being captured by someone like that months ago… something about a guy who fell in a Spring of Drowned Priest. He was part of the 'Jusenkyo Police', I think."

Shingen nodded. "It could very well be the same man…"

"Then does that mean Ranma's mind might start to go, too?" Kasumi asked.

Shingen shut his eyes for a moment. "That all depends on several things, Kasumi-san," he said eventually. "One, the strength of the victim's willpower, and two, the amount of time that has passed since the infection first took hold. Do any of you know when he fell in the spring?"

Akane looked up. "That would have been about a month or two before he first arrived here, I think."

"And that was?"

"Just over a year ago, from what I've been able to learn," said Nodoka.

Shingen nodded. "Then he's better off than I thought. The scrolls detailed a chronicle of one victim who adjusted fairly quickly to the change; from what I read he lived for many years before his mind became noticeably impaired. There were others, of course, who were reported as going mad the moment the curse struck… it all seems to depend on the strength of mind of the victim."

"So Ranma might not be in serious trouble yet?" Akane asked, a small light dancing in her eye.

"I'd say so; I certainly felt a powerful force of will coming from him in our erroneous duel. That doesn't mean he's in the clear, mind you; sooner or later something's going to have to be done."

"Does that mean you _can_ do something? That there's a way to help him?"

Shingen paused before turning to answer Akane again. "I'm not entirely sure at the moment. I'll need to do some thinking on the matter- and I may have to consult with my father. On top of that, I'm still not back to my full strength yet, so even if I'm right, it'll take time before I can do anything." Another series of crashes echoed through the hallways. "I think somebody had better check on him and make sure he doesn't kill himself before I get a chance to help."

"I'll go," said Akane as she dashed out of the room. The sound of a door opening and shutting reached the ears of the four people still sitting or standing in the tearoom.

For a long moment, no one said anything.

"So…" Nabiki murmured. "Not really your normal Monday night chit-chat."

"I still don't believe this is happening," said Nodoka. "It was bad enough with the curse alone, or the other girls and his rivals, and now demons as well?"

"Believe me, I've seen far worse than this happen in my life, Nodoka-san," said Shingen as he began to pace again. "Many people aren't even aware of incidents like this cropping up in Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido… it happens more often than you might think. There are benign _and_ malicious spirits roaming all over the place, only the majority of the populace isn't aware in the slightest. Most of the time we don't even need to get other people involved; it just looks like this is one of the exceptions." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "The fact is, there's a war going on out there. The Hunters have been fighting it for generations, even though our numbers are few and far between these days. Every war has its casualties."

"And Ranma just happens to be one of those casualties, is that what you're saying?" said Nodoka bitterly.

"I didn't say that, Nodoka-san. He's not lost yet… he just happens to have been caught in the pull of the chaos stream. Why that happened, I can't say. But with a little bit of work, I think I can do something for him. Stop the infection before it spreads, if you will." Shingen took a deep breath. "Something tells me this may well be part of the disturbance my father sent me to investigate. I knew our meeting was no coincidence."

"I do hope you can do something," said Kasumi. "He really has had some hard times up to now, and not always because of his curse. Even simple misunderstandings seem to cause him no end of trouble, what with the endless parade of people challenging him to duels, or other women showing up out of the blue. Sometimes it amazes me that he's lived with it this long and hasn't done something drastic, like leave town altogether… or worse…" She trailed off.

"I know; he told me some of what he's dealt with while we were on our way here," Shingen replied. "I was amazed myself. A lesser man would have easily cracked under the pressure of what he's been through- especially now that I know the cause of his transformation. His willpower must be incredible."

"It is," Nodoka murmured. "But even the strongest warrior has a weakness. I may have missed out on eleven years of his life, but he's still my son." She wiped her eyes absently. "I know he hurts inside, even if he doesn't show it. I just wish I'd been there for him when he needed me the most…" A sudden hiss caught her attention. Shingen's finger flew to his lips, his eyes darting left and right as he stepped towards the shoji doors of the room. "Shingen? What's going on?" she asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," he said in a low voice. "I felt something for a moment… something very powerful, but I don't quite think it was an oni or even a spirit at all." He stepped over to the table silently and grasped his naginata. "If you will excuse me, I think I'd best check this out." He slid the doors open just wide enough to pass through and slipped into the backyard.

"Oh, my… I hope there's nothing serious going on…" Kasumi whispered.

The solitude of the moment was quickly broken when two drunken Anything Goes Martial Artists barged through the front door, baying an Osaka drinking song at the top of their lungs. Kasumi cringed. Nabiki rolled her eyes, and Nodoka shut hers in irritation, her left hand gripping the saya of her katana.

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Akane slid the doors of the training hall open just enough to squeeze through. Stepping in, her eyes widened; the place looked like a tornado had gone through it. The remains of half a dozen bricks lay in crumbs not three feet from the doorway. A sparring dummy had been broken in half at the midsection, and again at its 'neck', its cotton padding strewn about. Two larger cinder blocks lay pulverized in opposite corners of the room, and several boards that hadn't been used in building repairs had been shattered to toothpicks. Another cry echoed through the room as she entered, followed by the crunch of wallboard giving way. Ranma stood across the room from the door, his right fist embedded in the wall and his shoulders shaking; Akane quickly noticed two identical fist-shaped holes on either side of him.

"Damn him…" Ranma spat quietly. "Damn Pops, damn that guide, damn those springs… Dammit all to hell!!!" He yanked his fist out of the hole he had made and slapped his palms against the wall hard, causing a considerable quantity of dust to drift down from the rafters. "Perfect… just perfect, ain't it? Somebody upstairs must be laughing at me. The court jester for every last one of the Kami; that's all I am, ain't I?" he shouted to nobody in particular. "Sa… Saffron wasn't enough… A… Akane almost dyin' wasn't enough… they gotta take away everything else, too? They gotta tell me that not only is the Nannichuan gone, it wouldn't have worked anyway, an' not only am I cursed, I got some kinda demon infection in me or something?!? Dammit, CAN'T I EVER GET A BREAK???" He shuddered, then collapsed to his knees, clenching his fists, gritting his teeth against the tears that were running down his face. "No…" he said in a weak voice. "I don't get breaks… never have, never will… I'm just a joke, a walking freak of nature…"

Akane's heart shattered as she heard him. _Ranma, you're wrong! You don't have to beat yourself up over this, it's not your fault!_ Gingerly she padded her way across the room; he didn't even notice her approach, not even when she had stopped and kneeled right next to him. His breathing was slow but harsh, and from her new vantage point she could just make out fresh bruises on his knuckles. As softly as she could, she reached over and rested her hand on his left shoulder. He flinched at her touch, but didn't recoil.

"Please don't talk like that, Ranma… it's okay…"

"No, it's not okay," he shot back harshly, causing her eyes to widen. "It's bad enough I'm half girl in the first place, now that guy's telling me I'm possessed as well… how can that possibly be okay?" He heaved a sigh, continuing to stare at the floor. "You might as well accept it, Akane, I'm nothin' more than a freak. An inhuman freak… I don't even know if I am who I think I am anymore…"

Akane gritted her teeth and bopped him on the top of his head with her palm, then grabbed his chin and lifted him up so she was looking right in his eyes. "Don't say that! Ranma, if you believe any of what you just said then you are the biggest baka I have ever known! In the first place, Shingen said there might be a way he could help you, and in the second place, even if he couldn't do anything you think that would make any difference to me? Look at you, you're falling to pieces! The Ranma I know wouldn't let something this bad get him down, he'd get back up on his feet and find a way around it! The Ranma I know isn't a quitter, and never has been since the day I met him! So what if there's more to this whole curse nonsense than we thought! I told you before, I don't care about that curse anymore!" Her expression softened as she brushed several loose hairs out of his eyes. "It's the man inside that matters to me; I thought you knew that. Believe me, I don't think you're a freak… and I wish I'd never called you one in the first place."

Ranma swallowed hard. "But… if he was telling the truth, then there might be something else inside… something neither of us wants…" He placed a hand on Akane's shoulder. "What if I'm being influenced already? What if this isn't even the real me talking? What if… what if I wind up hurting you…"

"If it wasn't the real you, would you be asking yourself these questions?" she asked gently. "Look, Shingen said this 'infection' or whatever it is sometimes takes years to do anything noticeable. You've been with us for over a year now… and you're still the same you. Maybe you've changed one or two things over time, but so have I… well, at least I hope I've changed a little." She took his hand off of her shoulder, running a finger over his bruised knuckles. "It's who you are at heart that matters, and you've never really changed that."

"But how can you be so sure that I won't change?" he asked, glancing away again.

Akane smiled. "Because I know how much you hate not being in control. Just think of this as another challenge. Which is something else I know hasn't ever changed… you never back down from a challenge."

Ranma paused. His breathing gradually returned to normal and the mask of despair slowly fell away from his face. "Just another challenge?"

"That's all it is. Don't think about it so much. Just believe in yourself… I know I do."

He looked back up into her eyes, seeing for the first time the mixture of concern, compassion and optimism that was radiating from her irises. _She still believes in me…_

"You know… you're right. You're absolutely right, it's just another damn stumbling block in my way."

"Exactly. Just don't let it get to you." She caressed the back of his hand with an almost feather-light touch. "Whatever happens, we can handle it. We've done it before, we can do it again. It's gonna be alright." _And this time, I'm not lying to you or myself about how I feel, _she thought with a warm smile.

Ranma nodded. "You know, it bears repeating- I dunno what I'd do without you." Just then he winced, sucking in a sharp hiss of air as he pressed at the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tight.

Akane's smile faltered. "Sinuses again?"

"Mmm-hmm," he muttered.

"Maybe it's a stress thing," Akane mused. "Not surprising if it is. Here, let me try something." She reached up and gently pried Ranma's hand away from his nose, then began delicately massaging his temples and around his eyes.

"Huh… what're ya doing, 'kane?"

"When I was twelve… and was going through, um… 'growing pains', I used to get some pretty bad headaches," she said softly, continuing her gentle ministrations. "This is something Kasumi used to do for me when it hurt the worst… not quite acupressure, but at least it brought the tension down."

Ranma nodded slightly with his eyes closed, still somewhat confused as to why she was doing it. _She never woulda offered to do something like this when we first met. Even before Saffron she would've sooner hit me than help me, even if I had asked…_ Slowly the tension in his temples faded under the soft pressure from her fingers. _No, that's not true. She has helped me before, even if it was just gettin' hot water. I never asked because I didn't know how I felt about her back then… and I didn't know if she cared, either. An' I'm not about to start complaining now…_

A slight sigh escaped him, prompting Akane to smile a bit brighter. "Does that feel okay?" she asked.

"Yeah… that feels nice…" he replied softly. A moment passed; he reached up and brushed the back of her left hand with his right hand. "Thank you."

She blushed slightly. "You know, sometimes I wish you'd just tell me when something's bothering you. I hate having to guess," she said, almost a whisper. Her fingers brushed beneath his eyes with just enough pressure to feel soothing rather than painful. "Even if it's not something I can help with. I don't like feeling left out."

Ranma sighed. "I guess I just don't wanna look weak. Stupid thought, huh?"

"You're not weak, I know that and so does everyone else here. You're just a stubborn baka, that's all…" He opened his eyes slowly and met her warm gaze with his own. "But you're my stubborn baka."

He smiled, then reached up and brushed his left hand across her cheek. "I wouldn't want to be anyone else's… my beautiful tomboy."

Akane's eyes widened. She had never heard him call her that in such a gentle way before, and she found it impossible to break away from his gaze. He was looking at her in a way she had only ever seen from two other people- her father, and possibly Dr. Tofu. There was no malice, no mocking laugh, no arrogance, no indifferent glare- only kindness. It was a look she'd only ever seen a few times from him, one that never lasted because of some interruption. It was as if he had opened his whole heart to her, shoving his bravado into the closet for the time being. Her heart began to pound in her chest, and she realized his was too.

_This is a place we've been before,_ she thought. _Just the two of us… no words spoken, no insults or punches thrown… and every time it was always interrupted by someone or something._ She felt the feather-light touch of his hand on her face and shivered slightly. _Is this it? Do we finally have our moment alone? What… what happens now…_

"Akane…"

She blinked, shaken out of her reverie by him whispering her name. His smile faltered, almost nervously, and she noticed he was leaning forward bit by bit. He paused and continued to look into her eyes, waiting for her to make the next move.

A warmth spread through her and her smile returned in full force. _He's just as nervous as I am… I knew I should never have called him a pervert, his heart's just too good…_ She edged closer to him so they were kneeling right in front of each other, gingerly cupping his face in her hands as she leaned forward. She saw his eyes shut moments before her own closed, just as her lips brushed against his. The sensation was faint at first, but electrifying nonetheless. A soft sigh escaped Akane's mouth as she felt him lean in, capturing her lips in their first full kiss ever. She returned the kiss eagerly, pressing against him and wrapping her arms around his neck; he responded by pulling her in, one hand around her head and the other gently around her waist.

Mutual fear was quickly laid to rest; neither one had given much thought or high expectation to what kissing the other would be like. Ranma had feared she would be cold and indifferent, Akane had feared he would be brutish and rough. This was different from anything they had expected… it was gentle, warm, loving and even a bit hesitant. Most importantly, though, it wasn't for anyone else's sake but theirs. This was their time. Their moment. It wasn't long before their mouths opened slowly and their kisses deepened, and it was hard to tell which one initiated it. They clung to each other, letting countless months of insults and unintentional pain fall away like autumn leaves as their lips and tongues became intertwined in a dance of fire. A single tear of joy ran down Akane's face as she relished the sensations washing over her, dissolving all her old fears and insecurities as if they had never existed.

Eventually, the two of them parted reluctantly, each one savoring the feel of the other's lips as long as possible. Their breathing gradually slowed as they opened their eyes again.

"Wow…" Ranma whispered, causing Akane to smirk a bit. "That was really nice…"

"Yeah," she sighed in response. She looked up, remembering something she had just heard. "Did you… did you really mean what you said?"

Ranma blinked. "If you mean when I was calling myself a freak earlier, that was mostly venting…"

"No, that's not what I meant, dummy," she said with a giggle. A slight flush crossed her cheeks as she looked into his eyes. "You… you called me beautiful…"

Ranma's face brightened. "Of course I meant that. Remember what I said last night when I thought you were asleep?" He brushed his hand across her face, wiping away the errant tear. "Cute doesn't do you justice. Especially when you smile." Another happy tear slid down her face as she leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder and pulling him into a fierce hug, which he quickly returned. He stroked her short blue-black hair, resting his head against hers delicately.

"I love you, Akane Tendo…"

She sniffled, her smile barely visible, buried as it was in his shirt. "I love you, Ranma Saotome…" she replied softly. For a moment, the two just sat there in a tight embrace, oblivious to everything around them except each other. The emotional roller coaster that had been assaulting them since that afternoon seemed to have finally come to a halt.

That's when they heard the sigh- a happy-sounding sigh, but with a definite hint of sadness. Their eyes slowly opened.

"My oh my… as much as I hate to admit it, that sight truly warmed my tired old heart…" said a very old, matronly voice from the garden end of the training hall. Ranma and Akane's heads snapped up; glancing towards the doors that had apparently been opened without their knowledge, their eyes widened in shock to see a certain diminutive Chinese elder holding a cane in one hand and wiping her eyes with the other.

To Be Continued…

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A/N: Yes, another cliffhanger. This chapter was originally supposed to be longer than it is, but then too much plot might have been given away. Things are still heating up, but at least our favorite duo finally had their moment together. I appreciate the reviews I've been getting; it helps reassure me I've got people reading this.

Wonderbee31: Yes, Ranma may be going through the wringer herein, but not as much or in the manner you might expect. Stay tuned to find out more.

Lordrosse: Thank you, and I can understand your position on Akane's attitude; I've seen her react either favorably or disgustedly in other stories.

Philodox: Thank you for bringing that to my attention, that was one of the tidbits I wasn't fully aware of when I first started writing. As it is, since Akane was thrown in a vacant spring I felt that her risk of being cursed/possessed was nonexistent, since there needs to be a pattern before any curse occurs. She provided the pattern, nothing more. Besides, I'm not so cruel as to mess with her that way. It does suggest that Kiima's personality might be a result of her jumping into the Nyannichuan some time back- or even what Ranma might be like if his will was weaker.

ForgottenSmile: Well, one of the Amazons just showed up; more to be revealed next chapter. At the moment, Akari's presence is just an illustration of where Ryoga landed after his trip on Air Akane. Lucky for him he landed near someone who cares for him. Her presence may be more defined in future, but herein she'll probably only be a minor character at best.

Thank you all for your support, and keep those reviews coming in. -Neon Ronin


	8. To Earn a Right

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Thank you for the continuing flow of feedback; every word of encouragement or advice helps me fine-tune this haphazard work a little more. It's not easy when you don't have access to the majority of the manga or anime, so I've fudged as best I can. Hope it's still enjoyable. Now, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 8: To Earn a Right

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For a few moments, nobody said anything. One pair of elderly eyes gazed levelly… almost mischievously… at the two pairs of younger eyes before them. Akane's heart began racing as she realized that her and Ranma's arms were still wrapped around each other, and Cologne had likely been sitting in front of them longer than they had thought. _Damn it!_ she screamed inside her mind, _I knew it was too good to be true! She probably heard what we were saying, saw what… what we were doing… oh gods, now what's she going to do???_ For her part, Cologne merely sat back beside her cane and breathed out a long sigh. Ranma said nothing verbally, but his expression was speaking volumes; from the moment he had seen the Amazon, he had made the transition from surprise, to shock, to worry, and finally to anger in rapid succession.

"You!!!" he growled, his voice low. "What the hell d'you think you're doing in here, old ghoul?? Haven't you done enough damage already, the way ya keep messin' in my affairs? You have any idea how much trouble that damned great-granddaughter o' yours caused BOTH of us, not just yesterday, but at Jusendo as well?? An' now you have the gall to show up here an' butt in on us ONCE AGAIN!"

_Don't bait her… just deny anything is happening. It's worked before, just laugh it off. Tell her it was all play-acting. Surely you don't want to feel her wrath over an insignificant matter as this? You don't want to incite another battle… least of all over this pathetic, un-cute tomboy in your arms. She isn't worth it… _

Ranma's eyes went wide for a second, and he paused in his tirade to catch his breath. The words in his mind kept rolling around, growing fainter each moment; they were words he had often said to himself, his usual defense mechanism against bigger fights. But this time they were different. They were harsher, yet at the same time, seductive. They didn't quite sound like his own inner voice, either. And the words, '_pathetic, un-cute tomboy',_ were jarring against his heart like a rusty knife. A wave of self-disgust washed over him. _Dammit, that isn't right! I won't do it! Not after what I've already told her, not after all I've done and given up, I'm not gonna lie! I do that, and I'm no better than my old man!!!_ He swallowed hard, unconsciously tightening his arms protectively around Akane; she glanced at him in surprise and stared as she saw the tenacity burning in his eyes.

"So what's it gonna be now? Another one of your games? Another challenge? Huh?"

"Ranma, stop it," Akane whispered gently. "Do you really want to risk her anger right now? I don't know how much she knows or saw, but I don't think we should add to it…"

"I'm not afraid of her," he replied evenly. "Not anymore, anyways."

"Please," Cologne sighed, holding up a hand. "I am well aware that over the past year I have known you two, I have given you little reason to trust me. However, I promise you, I did not come here to pick a fight. No one else is here, only me. You have my word as a warrior and a Tribal Elder, I mean you no harm this evening. I'm only here to talk."

Ranma stared at her for a moment, fire still in his eyes. "No harm? To _either_ of us?"

"None whatsoever. To either of you."

Another moment passed.

Ranma's breathing slowed, the anger fading. "Alright. If all ya wanna do is talk, I'll listen, but if this turns out to be some kinda trick an' Akane gets hurt…"

A sharp squeeze of his hand cut him short; he glanced at Akane who shook her head 'no' sharply. "_Don't push it, please. Just hear her out,_" she whispered.

Cologne chuckled slightly. "It's alright, child," she said, causing Akane to look up and blush a bit. "After all this time, I've gotten quite used to his… shall we say… brusque attempts at manners. And besides…" She heaved another sigh and looked at the floor. "I'm well aware of how he feels. In the time we've known each other he's been through an awful lot, much of it my own doing. Gods know I've done more than my fair share… all for the sake of tribal honor. Still, there are right ways of approaching matters of honor, and there are wrong ways. And there are times when those ways… whether right or wrong… go too far.

"I had no intention of things escalating to the point they did. In retrospect, and given what information I have recently gleaned from my great-granddaughter and a communiqué from the tribe that arrived today, I have acted foolishly. In my own desire for honor to be satisfied, I limited my options and ignored the feelings of those directly involved. I chose the wrong way." She bowed her head to a very surprised and shocked Ranma. "I am sorry."

Ranma blinked, the anger drained from his face completely. "Wha… huh? Um, you'll have to excuse me, but I wasn't expectin' that from you."

"M-me neither," Akane stammered. "I would've thought you'd be bursting in, demanding to know what was going on, not apologizing to us!"

"I know it's unexpected; I hardly ever expected it from myself," Cologne replied with a weak laugh. "But I've watched you both very carefully over time, and it wasn't hard for me to notice that with every plan I devised to bring Ranma and Shampoo together, it was driving them further apart… and bringing you two closer." At that comment, the two of them began stammering and exchanging silly looks, causing Cologne to cackle more warmly.

"Oh, please! Don't even think about brushing that aside or denying it to me, children, you're a hundred years too early! Besides, if the hints I've seen over time hadn't been enough, your little late-night confessions in the upstairs hall last night would have sufficed."

Ranma's attention snapped back into focus. "What? You were SPYING on us?"

Cologne sighed. "I wasn't attempting to lurk, mind you. What happened yesterday… that was a grievous error in judgment. I merely wished to return and reassure myself that no permanent damage had been done… and in the process, learned what my heart had told me was the case all along. There was no malice intended." She smirked, rolling her eyes towards the doorway. "Though it's hard to say whether our current audience has malice in mind or not."

Akane's head snapped up. "Someone else is here?"

"I think perhaps he followed me," Cologne mused with a grin. "If such is the case, then he would make a most formidable ally; I hardly sensed his presence till just now." She waved a hand. "You may as well come in; it would do well for a witness to be present anyway." She lowered her hand. Ranma was beginning to wonder what she meant by witness when a hand in a fingerless glove grasped the door, pushing it open wide enough to allow the owner of the hand entrance.

"Shingen?" Ranma asked. "What were you doin' out there?"

"Force of habit," the taller man replied, sliding the sheath back on to his naginata blade. "I felt a pretty strong aura pass through here a short while ago, so I came out to see what it was. Didn't know if she was a hostile or not, but at least it means my senses are getting better." He bowed his head towards Cologne briefly. "Please excuse my intrusion, grandmother… and if you don't mind my saying so, what I felt of your aura in passing was truly impressive."

Cologne gazed up at Shingen with an appraising eye. "Hmm. You seem to be quite the fighter yourself, young man. Quite the fighter indeed. Are you a friend of theirs?"

"Hopefully," he answered, laying his weapon on the floor and sitting down cross-legged. "In my… profession I don't make friends that often. This might be an exception."

"Me an' Shingen sorta got off on the wrong foot earlier today," Ranma said with a smirk, before turning serious again. "So what were you talking about when you said it'd be good to have a witness?"

"Yeah, I didn't really like the sound of that either," Akane muttered.

"Rest easy, both of you," the elderly Amazon admonished. "What I have to say is simple. By my pursuit of you, which at times has involved the use of rather unorthodox methods, I have ignored what other options exist within our tribal laws when a union by the Kiss of Marriage is unwanted by at least one party. These options have so seldom, if ever, been enforced, that I simply pushed the thought aside and 'conveniently forgot'. In doing so, I have risked dishonoring the tribe as a whole even more, especially through some of my more underhanded means." Fresh memories of the Reversal Jewel incident flashed through both Ranma and Akane's mind, causing them both to wince- and in Ranma's case, shut his eyes in shame. "I know it is a roundabout way of saying it, but what I have to say boils down to this.

"I know now that you would never become my son-in-law, Ranma… and I shall refrain from referring to you as such in the future. By your actions- which have been supported by both Shampoo and Mousse, who witnessed what you did at Phoenix Mountain, and also by the Tribal Council, who witnessed the aftereffects- I feel you have more than earned Right of Refusal."

Akane gasped. Ranma stared, slack-jawed. Shingen glanced at Cologne, several thoughts joining together in succession. _She must be the Amazon elder he told me about earlier, the one who's always on his case to marry her great-granddaughter because of an outdated tribal custom_. He stroked his chin in thought. _I wonder…_

"Right of Refusal?" Akane wondered aloud. "Does that mean…"

"It means just what it is, child," said Cologne. "The right to refuse an outsider's union with the tribe."

Ranma's jaw re-engaged as he blinked twice. "You mean… you mean that option was there the whole time, and you never said anything about it?"

"You must understand, it is a very old and seldom invoked right, usually reserved for our tribe's greatest female warriors," Cologne continued. "If a union by Kiss of Marriage is unwanted or inconvenient, the warrior may satisfy honor by performing a sufficiently taxing ordeal, proving the strength of her convictions through her actions. If the ordeal is completed, the warrior may refuse to obey the law of defeat by an outsider male, and no honor is lost on either side. It is possible for a male to earn such a right, but it has been few and far between since such a deed has occurred." She sighed heavily. "That is part of the reason why I did not explore such an option; my great-granddaughter had no desire to refuse… and I underestimated how deeply your convictions lay, Ranma."

"In other words, if I'd come to you and known about this rule in the first place, and then done some stunt to prove myself, I woulda been off the hook?" Ranma asked flatly.

Cologne nodded slightly at his words. "Obviously I wouldn't have given you an easy task, boy… but after reading about the explosion at Phoenix Mountain, and hearing Shampoo recount what happened… I'm not so sure I could stand between the two of you anymore. I've already sent a message back to the Council to confirm my decision." She sighed again, and Akane noted that Cologne suddenly seemed a lot older than she had in a long time.

Ranma's expression softened, a look of pain creeping into his eyes. "So it's really over. And to think, all I had to do to convince you was… was…" He swallowed hard. "Was kill someone," he finished with ice in his voice.

Akane took his hand and squeezed it. "Ranma, don't…" _I know you hate talking about it, you don't have to bring it up now,_ she thought quietly, almost hoping he could read what she was thinking. He glanced at her, relaxing slightly.

"I know it was not your intent to harm anyone," Cologne admonished. "I know you're a good boy at heart, even if you are a little rough around the edges at times. You just don't have it in you to do what you did on a whim, I can tell. The important thing is, you didn't do what you did for power, or for a cure for your condition, or any other reason than this. You defeated Saffron for the sake of one person. One woman. One I know you care about more than any other, no matter how you may deny it."

A moment of silence passed before Akane felt Ranma squeeze her hand gently. "I… I'm done denyin' it," he said, almost in a whisper. "After what happened up there, I can't deny it anymore. An' if I had to fight him over again… I would."

"Ranma…" Akane whispered, a smile emerging on her face.

"Wait a moment… did you say Saffron?" Everyone glanced over at Shingen, who was looking at Ranma with wide eyes. "Are you talking about the God-King of the Phoenix clan? The being with the powers of life and fire at his fingertips? Are you saying you faced him in combat… and _defeated_ him?"

Ranma sighed. "I had to… it… it was the only way for me to get 'kane back safely… to make sure she didn't… die…" His words faltered and he began to find the floor very interesting for some reason. Akane's hold on his hand tightened slightly. Shingen blinked a few times before settling back. _There is definitely more to his story than he told me on the way over here,_ he thought.

Cologne cleared her throat. "I must tell you both, there may still be hard times ahead with my great-granddaughter. I have not yet told her of my ruling, nor does she know of our discussion here this evening. She believes I'm paying a visit to an old friend regarding some new herb therapy treatments. Once I do tell her, though, she may not take it very well; just because you have earned the Right, it does not mean she will not still pursue you. Shampoo still has much to learn of the tribe's ways and those of the rest of the world, but she did come to care for you, despite the law. I do believe she fell for you quite fast, Ranma, and fell hard. I would ask that you try and be understanding if she approaches you again; she doesn't have much in the way of friends here in Japan. Please don't be too rough with her."

Akane sighed. "I don't know… after all that's happened, it might take some time before I could really trust her again. I'd have to be sure she won't up and attack me the way she has in the past."

"That goes for me, too," Ranma added.

"I understand," said Cologne. "I'll do what I can to set her heart at rest; if I can do that, would you be willing to consider her at least a casual acquaintance, if not a friend?" Ranma and Akane glanced at each other, then nodded in unison.

"Very well. Again, I apologize for the trouble I've brought to your doorstep… and I do hope we can be friends when all is said and done." She straightened her green robe and looked at the two of them more seriously. "I did not come here for this reason alone, mind you. There is another, more serious matter that I must discuss with you. I have not yet broached the subject with either Shampoo or Mousse, as I fear they will not take it any better than you will."

"What are you talking about?" Akane asked, suddenly concerned.

"I mentioned the communiqué I received from the Council regarding the explosion at Phoenix Mountain, correct?" At their nod, Cologne let out a long sigh. "Their message said more than just that; it also detailed something else that transpired, most likely the night of that incident- after you had likely left the area."

She drew in a deep breath. "The valley of the Jusenkyo springs has been purged of its aura. Somehow, every last spring has had its patterns disrupted; even the training poles have been thrown into shambles." She shook her head. "I'm afraid there is no chance for anyone to be cured of their curses anymore."

Ranma groaned. "THAT's the other matter? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, old gh… uh… er… Cologne, but we already knew about that. An' from what I've picked up, those springs wouldn't have helped that much anyway, aside from the transformation aspect..."

"I beg your pardon? What are you talking about?"

"They're talking about the fact that they already know the Jusenkyo cursed springs have been destroyed, grandmother," Shingen interjected, turning to face her. "And I'm not really sure what it is your tribe understands about the nature of those springs, but with all due respect, you most likely didn't know half of what was going on."

"And how would you know much about this, young man? Our tribe has lived in close proximity to the springs for well over a thousand years, what makes you think you know more about the springs?"

"Because not only has my family and other clans fully analyzed the nature of that place, I personally went to Jusenkyo not long ago and am also the one responsible for their disruption." He paused, giving her a moment to soak in what he had said. "I apologize for intruding upon your tribal lands, but the springs had to be destroyed. They'd sat unattended for long enough."

A look of utter shock settled on Cologne's face. "You did WHAT???"

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Inside the main house, things were rapidly getting tense. Kasumi had quickly decided the best thing would be to start preparing dinner, leaving Genma and Soun at the mercy of Nabiki and Nodoka. In their state of inebriation, it was impossible for them to make any reasonable objection, or even an intelligible one. "Itsh the prinshiple of the thing," Genma was slurring, much to his wife's disgust. "A Marshull Artisht's life ish phull of many trialsh, and thish is one of them. Wether it be trial by fffire… hic… or by liquid… de more one putsh himshelf through, de more he withshtandsh over time…"

"That's about the dumbest excuse I've ever heard for going out and boozing your brains out," Nabiki said with half-lidded eyes. "Trying to break your tolerance for sake or something? I said take your mind off the problem for a bit, not drag it through a fermenting tank, Mr. Saotome."

"Oh, what're we gonna do… the future of de houshesh ish at steak…" Genma moaned, oblivious. "We gotta show dose two how much dis means to everybuddy… Tendo, ya got enny ideash yet?"

A sudden click and a shining inch of sharpened steel caught Genma's attention, sobering him and Soun up faster than a preacher on Sunday. He glanced nervously at Nodoka, who was gazing at him severely, sword at the ready. "Genma, right now you are not in any position to walk in a straight line, let alone make a rational decision about the future of the houses. In fact, I very seriously doubt any of your decisions about our families' agreement have been rational; just look where your last attempt landed everything. We practically weathered a war under this very roof thanks to your 'rational decision' to hasten their marriage along! And to make matters worse, I had my own misgivings that it might be too soon but I said nothing, I trusted that perhaps maybe things would work out, and look what happened! No, I don't think you should be thinking up any more new plans for their wedding, especially since it concerns THEM more than it does YOU!" She paused, taking in a deep breath. "I should have realized a long time ago that the only proper way to encourage them is to step aside and let them alone; the last thing they need is more parental pressure forcing them in one direction when they have enough pressure to deal with as it is."

Genma blinked. "Huh? You mean jus' do nothing? But No-chan…"

"Genma, I am in no mood to be called that this evening. It's been a very long, very tiring day for all of us, especially our son. After what happened yesterday and further events of today, both he and Akane are _exhausted._ They don't need any more grievances added on by their parents, so once they come in from their chat in the dojo, I would deeply appreciate it if we could set this matter aside. They deserve that much."

"But… but…"

"I'm afraid she's right, old friend," said Soun weakly, placing a hand on Genma's shoulder. "We've done more than our fair share of meddling in their lives, and where has it gotten us? Nothing much but a lot of bad blood, angry words and carpentry bills. It's getting to be too much; I'm not sure I could weather another storm like the one we had yesterday." He heaved a sigh. "I just want my baby girl to be happy, Saotome… of course, a pledge is a pledge, especially between our schools… but I'd rather not put her own happiness at risk at the same time. I've done enough. I'm tired."

Nodoka smiled. "Thank you, Soun. I'm glad to see at least you understand."

Nabiki smirked. _I probably shouldn't tell Auntie Nodoka about my little morning arrangement with Daddy; he can't afford to lose me as the family financial planner, and he will if he keeps buggin' Ranma and sis about getting married. I'd like to see Dad try and manage our stock portfolio, what with it being our only regular income and all…_

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Inside the training hall, Cologne was wearing an expression of utter shock. She had listened very carefully to Shingen's explanation of his bloodline, the ley line concentrations which ran beneath the valley floor of Jusenkyo, and the connections the springs held to the underworld. For a long moment, she just sat still, shaking her head as countless Amazon myths and legends about the springs flashed through her mind. She tried to rationalize it, deny what Shingen had said, replace his theory with one of the old legends about divine will and a place of learning ordained by the gods, but it wasn't working. Several rare moments in her long life were flashing before her, memories of long-lost friends who had succumbed to a Jusenkyo curse and subsequently gone mad.

"The legends… they said those who train at Jusenkyo and become cursed are in need of spiritual training… that the curse is a lesson from the gods in disguise… something the warrior must learn from…" she muttered, almost a whisper.

"That may be what your legends say," Shingen replied, "but if someone infected learns something from the curse, it may not always stick the longer the infection remains. The weaker the will, the faster the madness approaches. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. Nothing godly about it, regardless of anything the Phoenix clan might think."

"How… how is it that you know these things, and none of our tribe's Elders have been aware in all the time we have lived at Joketsuzoku? Or the Musk? Their tribe's been associated with Jusenkyo just as long as we have, if not longer!!"

"My guess is the longer you lived with it, the more used to it you got," said Shingen. "Live near something long enough, and before you know it, you hardly even notice it's there anymore. Once that occurs, why bother questioning it? Why bother trying to find a real explanation when a quick glance and a reasonable legend or two will suffice? It's the same everywhere; people still don't have any idea what really lies behind Stonehenge, or the Sphinx in Egypt, so they create legends around them. Some of which hold a grain of truth... but not all."

Cologne gazed levelly up at Shingen. "You are sure of all this?" she asked in a wavering voice.

"Dead certain," was the reply.

"I wasn't expecting any of this either, ya know," said Ranma in a soft tone. "An' here I thought I'd seen most everything under the sun as far as curses; goes to show ya never can tell, right?"

"I'm still curious about something," said Akane. "If these 'Hunters' have such a record of Jusenkyo and what its nature was, why wasn't anything done about it ages ago? Why wait till now, when there's about five or more people wandering around Nerima with Jusenkyo curses as we speak?"

"Akane-chan, you have to understand that the Hunters can't do everything," said Shingen. "We can't be everywhere at once; our numbers are far too thin. We do what we can within our own territories, assisting abroad when needed, but sometimes all we can do is watch and wait. The last Chinese Hunter clan disappeared over seventy years ago, either because they fell in battle or married into other clans to escape their bloodline and lead normal lives. If they had survived, they might have acted sooner… but as it is, their disappearance left matters sorely unattended until my Father decided our clan had to intervene."

"So… so the legends are not all they would appear…" Cologne murmured, a look of sadness entering her eyes. "Oh, good gods… my great-granddaughter… that poor blind fool, Mousse… if what you're saying is true, their minds might be turning even as we speak." She glanced up, fire burning in her eyes. "What can we do? And moreover, how are we going to break this to them?"

Ranma stood up. "Um… I know it's not my place, but I really don't think we oughta tell them at this point. Not that I'm not concerned, hell, this is as much my monkey as it is theirs… but they've already got one thing to deal with; do we really need ta saddle 'em with another? I'm still getting used to this whole 'Right of Refusal' you just granted me, old gh… er… Cologne; if Shampoo doesn't take it too easily that I'm not bound to her, tellin' her about this might just cause her to snap completely. I don't think any of us needs that on our hands."

Akane nodded, slowly at first, then faster as she thought his words over. "You know, that actually does make sense, the last thing we need to do is start a panic. But the question is, can we actually do something in time?"

Shingen nodded slowly. "I may have a technique that will help, as I mentioned earlier… but I need to think about it at least overnight. As for time, hopefully it's on our side; depending on the victims' will, we may not see any effects for a good long while."

"Is there anything I could do?" Cologne asked. "I am my tribe's foremost expert on magic treatments and remedies, perhaps we could combine our techniques. Though… I have to say, honestly, you do seem awfully young to be this versed in arcane lore, especially lore which I've only ever heard of in variant tales."

Shingen smiled. "My Father was the best sensei a Hunter could hope for. He taught me everything I know." He took a deep breath. "As for combining skills… with all due respect, I'd rather hold off on that until I've had a chance to review what I have at my disposal. If you have any means to keep them calm or relaxed if they start to get angry, that might be of help." Cologne pondered for a second, then nodded in response.

"I just hope whatever you're planning is better than what's been done before," said Akane.

"I beg your pardon, Akane-chan?" Shingen asked.

"Just remembering something," she replied with a shudder. "Happosai… our schools' Grandmaster… once tried to split Ranma's male and female sides apart, and it didn't work out very well."

Shingen nodded. "Unless he's a Hunter himself, of course it wouldn't have worked well. My guess is he probably used a flawed method of separation, combined with the fact that he most likely had no idea what he was dealing with."

"Knowing that old goat, I'd have to agree with you," Cologne muttered with a chuckle. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Ranma, Akane, dinner will be in a few minutes," came Kasumi's voice. "Are you both okay in there?"

Ranma straightened up. "Uh, yeah, we're okay Kasumi. We'll be out in a moment."

"Have you seen Shingen by any chance? He went out back a few minutes ago; I'm not sure what he was looking for."

"He's here, sis," said Akane. "He… um… thought there was something prowling outside; he didn't find anything. There's no problem."

There was a pause for a brief moment. "Oh, okay then. We were just a little concerned, that's all. Tell him he's welcome to join us for dinner if he wishes." The sound of Kasumi's footsteps wafted through the closed side door, followed by the swish and clack of the tearoom doors.

"Well, I suppose I should be on my way," Cologne sighed, grasping her cane. "There's much I have to do back at home; I don't want Shampoo waiting up for me." With a quick motion, she was balanced on the tip of the cane, hopping closer to Ranma. "You've given me much to think about this night, young man. And if you don't mind my saying so… you really have been a great source of joy to this old woman over the time I've known you. I do hope we can put hard feelings aside, especially now."

Ranma paused, then nodded. "I'd like that. I'd rather have you as an ally anyway… but no more tricks, right?"

"No more tricks. You have my word." She reached forward, shaking his hand before turning and pogo-sticking her way out of the training hall.

Akane blinked, smiling. "I never thought she'd do something like that," she said softly. "After all this time, I figured she'd be even more gung-ho about you and Shampoo getting hitched."

"I think she may have realized I'd fight off the whole damn Amazon tribe if that's what it took," said Ranma. "An' if she's true to her word, I think we could really use her help right now. Things could get ugly faster than we thought they would, especially with this whole demon mess cropping up."

"Let's not talk about that right now," said Akane, lacing the fingers of her right hand with those of Ranma's left. "Dinner's waiting, and we've got an even bigger challenge after that."

Ranma smirked. "Our homework… or our dads?"

Akane nodded, an identical smirk on her face. "Let's just hope Nabiki and Auntie Nodoka went easy on 'em," she laughed as she pulled Ranma towards the doors. He chuckled and caught up to her quickly; together they pushed the side doors open and headed back into the house. Shingen followed close behind in thought, pausing to turn out the training hall lights and shut the doors.

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Dinner, for once in the Tendo household, was a peaceful one that night. Nodoka's watchful eye and ever-present katana kept Genma on a short leash through much of the meal; consequently Ranma didn't have to fight over his portions and was able to enjoy a slower-paced dinner. Akane sat next to him, casting the odd glance in his direction every now and then, which he would return with a smile. Genma might have noticed their glances were it not for the fact that his sake-soaked brain was still on the dizzy side, despite his wife's earlier sobering chat. Soun was slightly more receptive, but too confused by the presence of a new dinner guest to say much of anything about it. For his part, Shingen ate in silence, casually observing the interplay between the families.

Eventually the conversations moved to where Shingen was staying while he was in Nerima. It soon transpired that he had no current residence and had been planning to go to a hotel, which prompted Kasumi to offer the guest bedroom instead- Happosai still had not returned from his latest excursion and the room was almost completely vacant. _"Besides, hotels in this section of town are practically highway robbery; you'd be better off staying here,"_ she had added.

Soun had almost had an apoplectic fit at the thought of another guest in the house… especially once Shingen mentioned he intended to stay in Nerima for at least a few weeks. _"Until I finish my job here."_ Soun's jaw was practically touching the floor before Shingen dug into his jacket and retrieved a wad of bills; he counted several off the top and pressed them into Soun's hands, telling him to consider them as both rent and compensation. Everyone's eyes went wide, especially Nabiki's, who quickly made a mental note to see if she could find out more about him.

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Akane had finished her homework and was just getting ready for bed when she heard a knock on her door. "Yes?" she asked as she crossed to open it. "Who is it?"

"Just a local stubborn baka," came the lighthearted reply. She smirked as she opened the door to reveal Ranma standing there, one hand awkwardly behind his head as he glanced down the hallway. "I, uh… just wanted to tell you thanks for earlier," he said softly. "I kinda lost my cool after Shingen dropped that bombshell about Jusenkyo… and, well… you bein' there for me helped out a lot… and I'm glad we finally got a moment or two to ourselves."

Akane smiled, blushing a bit. "Yeah, me too…" _I wish we'd had that moment sooner, he's a really good kisser…_ "Look, I'm not really sure what may be in store for us after tonight, but I think the last thing we need to do is worry about it. If something happens, we'll deal with it, right? And I do mean we. Not just one or the other. Both of us."

Ranma nodded slowly. "Both of us… I like the sound of that." He reached up and brushed the hair at her temple gingerly, prompting another blush to cross her face. "Hey… I've got an idea."

Akane blinked. "What's that?"

"D'you think you could set your alarm about half an hour earlier for tomorrow?"

"Huh? Why? I have a hard time getting up for my morning jog as it is!"

"Because I was thinking that maybe I could get a jump on helping you out on a few things… um… I mean, that is if you don't mind… you know… what I was talking about earlier today…"

Akane nodded. "You mean training?"

Ranma nodded. "Nothin' fancy, I just wanna try and see what you can do and what I might be able to help ya with. I know it's sudden, but if things are gonna get messy I'd rather make sure you can be the best ya possibly can."

Akane's smile was practically glowing. "Okay, I think I can manage a little earlier than usual… I just hope I don't interfere with your morning sparring with your dad."

"Don't worry about him, I can always knock him around after school if need be." Several noises from downstairs wafted up to them; it sounded like Nodoka was escorting Genma out the front door. "Besides, I think he'll be too busy dealing with Mom; she said she was taking him home for the night… for a 'little chat'." They both laughed.

Akane took a deep breath. "So… I guess I'll see you bright and early, Ranma?"

Ranma nodded, gazing back into her eyes. "I'll be looking forward to it, 'kane."

"Me too…" She paused for a moment, just looking at him. "Thank you."

"What for?" he asked, slightly confused.

"For this," she replied, pulling him closer and pressing her lips to his. Ranma wrapped his arms around her back and held her close, while she did the same to him. The kiss was brief, but every bit as passionate as the one they had shared just a few short hours before. As their lips parted, they hugged each other closer, shutting out the sounds from downstairs for a few moments.

"I'll see you in the morning… my handsome baka," Akane whispered tenderly.

"Sleep well… my beautiful tomboy," Ranma replied in identical tones. Gradually the two separated, looking into each other's eyes as Akane reluctantly closed her bedroom door. With a sigh, each retreated to their respective beds, both aware that things would likely not be easy in the near future. In fact, the likelihood for things to get far worse was looming in both their minds.

For that moment, though, it didn't seem to matter.

To Be Continued…

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Author's Note 1/11/05: This chapter went a lot longer than I had initially planned, but as I get further along in my story I find there is little other option. There's a lot I'm trying to accomplish herein, and that's going to require a lot of detail. Some of what I've written I'm not perfectly satisfied with, but it's the best I can do. I'm well aware that some of the characters may be behaving in an OOC-fashion, but there is a method to my madness. I hope this chronicle is entertaining, and I thank you for the continuing flow of reviews.

Wonderbee31: Glad things got clearer for you; hope this chapter is a bit more enlightening. Shampoo's reaction might be somewhat more severe, but that's to be seen. If it seems like Cologne may be letting Ranma off the hook a bit too easily, keep in mind that he defeated Saffron and blew the top off the mountain in the process not more than a few days earlier- and he did so for Akane's sake. After what happened when everyone else crashed their wedding, more than likely his nerves would be on edge; if Cologne or anyone else threatened her, the results would not be pretty. He already proved once he would kill to save her, and after facing off against a demigod I doubt he would fear the old ghoul anymore.

Borg rabbit: If Cologne had known about the portals it would have provided an interesting wrinkle- no pun intended. It could even suggest that she was a part of the problem herself, possibly even possessed at an early age, but I didn't see it working that way. I viewed it as the classic case of a person living with something for so long they never bothered to question it. Yes, Ryoga does appear to be drifting towards the madness; he always struck me as one of the weaker ones at heart, always giving into bouts of depression- which gives you some pause to wonder how he mastered the complete Shishi Hoko Dan. Perhaps something was pushing him that way…

Lerris: How much Ryoga has been affected so far remains to be seen, as well as what its effects may be.

Luna12: I appreciate your comment on OOC-ness, but I do believe their behavior is somewhat justified. Remember, Ranma almost saw Akane die in his arms, which would haunt anybody, but after what happened with the wedding fiasco it probably would hit him like a ton of bricks that he was making a mistake. He has obviously cared about Akane for a long time but his 'foot-in-mouth' condition keeps him from saying anything meaningful, so once he finally got up the nerve to confess- and then realizes she heard it all- I don't think even he would be that stupid to mess it up again, unless he's a glutton for punishment. Once that barrier was down, and he realized she might feel the same, I don't think it's unreasonable for him to open up the way he did. As for Akane, she may be a tough tomboy but she's also pretty sensitive at heart- and she has broken down and really cried several times in the series. She just holds it in too much; again, once the walls came down and they both opened up, I felt her tough façade would falter. Yes, it is somewhat OOC, but in the context of the story necessarily so. Our famous duo is just starting to grow up a bit.

One last note: There are many gaps in my knowledge of the manga and the anime, one of them being I never read the "Do-chan" arc. Even so, I always believed Akane had the potential to be better than she is, but lack of proper training and her temper inhibited that.

Meia: As far as Ranma's sinuses, if I told you now, that would be telling. It could be tied to the infection, or it may just be stress. Stay tuned to find out.

Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed so far. I hope this installment has proved enjoyable; stay tuned for the next chapter and let me know if I'm making any sense story-wise. -Neon Ronin


	9. Training Day

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Things are going to start to heat up shortly; whether they will in this chapter or not, you'll have to read on and find out yourself. Enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 9: Training Day

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A cool breeze passed through the night air. The moon hung high in the sky, like a great eye gazing down upon the sleeping populace. A lone dog barked in the distance, perhaps the only creature awake on the streets at midnight. Had someone walked past the spare room of the Tendo household at that moment, they might have noticed a faint blue light pulsing in the window.

In the center of the room, a square roll of fabric had been laid out, its surface covered with a large hexagram pattern four feet in diameter. Each of the six points of the star within the circle was adorned with a distinct kanji character: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Light, and Darkness. Runic characters along the outer ring seemed to pulse with a light of their own. On the door and on either side of the window, paper wards had been placed perfectly vertical, with pentagram sigils at the top and additional kanji at the bottom. Shingen's duffel bag lay open in one corner of the room, its apparently mismatched contents spilling onto the floor. There were some spare clothes, a tanto with jade inlay along the hilt, an ivory crucifix on a rosary, an ornate box containing what appeared to be calligraphy tools and several jars of ink, and a small assortment of hematite pendants on red cord. There was also what looked to be two larger strips of paper, one blank, the other adorned with archaic scripture and ornate runes, fancier than those on the window wards or the square rug on the floor. Shingen was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the hexagram, his eyes shut and his index and little fingers extended on each hand. The soft blue light illuminating the room was radiating from his body and the hexagram as he sat absorbed in a deep trance.

Around him, the room had disappeared into nothingness. His mind had left the physical plane for a moment- but he was not alone. Another mind was there, talking and listening. An older mind, one that he knew better than any other. Part of Shingen's mind pitied the majority of the world who could not communicate via the astral, as Hunters could.

"So this is where we are now, Father," Shingen was saying. "I haven't examined his aura closely enough yet, but there is something that tells me his curse and the chaos stream affecting Nerima may be part of some greater scheme. I know what needs to be done; I'm just not sure if the technique will work properly." He bowed his head. "All I know is I have a duty to help him, and not just because of his condition."

The older man's astral form nodded slowly. "I warned you about acting rashly, my son. I was afraid you might lose sight of your goal; your impatience and your dedication have done this to you in the past, you know. However… as no permanent injury was inflicted, and you have already begun the process of amends, I do believe you have acquitted yourself honorably. I trust this 'Ranma' you speak of has accepted your apologies?"

Shingen nodded. "Even before I swore my oath. I was surprised, especially after I had attacked him as fiercely as I did."

"Indeed… and he has endured a curse from that very place I sent you to destroy, as well…" The older man paused in thought, then looked up again. "You say there are others besides him, all of whom have been infected?"

"The family mentioned that in addition to him, there are at least four in this ward alone."

"Interesting. This definitely has all the makings of a plot set in motion… though by whom, and for what purpose, I cannot say." The older man's astral form shimmered for a second. "Each of the five will need to be treated, then, hopefully as soon as possible."

Shingen's astral form straightened up, gazing back at his father seriously. "Father, will the technique work?"

"That depends entirely upon their participation and your skill, Shingen. You have the materials and you have studied the technique, have you not?"

"I have no true practice, I only know the theory of the Spirit Purge, Father. As for the materials… I do have one ward ready, one you scribed yourself. I can duplicate it easily, but…"

"Yes?"

"I only have enough parchment for one more ward, Father. And even then it will take three days to scribe and dry properly, that only takes care of two people. I haven't the materials for the three more wards I'll need."

"I see…" said the older man. He looked back at Shingen with a small smile.

"I have no doubt in your ability to perform the technique, son. Knowing you like I do, even if you only know the theory you should be able to succeed. Once the Spirit Purge is completed, though, is when the real task begins… but I'm positive you'll know what to do when that happens." The older man paused. "As for materials… that's another issue. I will have to consult with the rest of the clan- although, if memory serves, your sister should be in possession of an abundance of supplies; you well know how skilled she is with runes and wardings."

"Isn't Reika in Osaka right now, hunting a polluted variant of kitsune?"

"That she is, but something tells me this issue is far more important." A vexed look crossed the old man's face. "The chaos stream around Nerima may have a more sinister purpose, Shingen. I have already begun to see signs."

Shingen's astral form blinked. "What kind of signs?"

"I'm not entirely sure as of yet," the older man said, his astral form beginning to fade. "I will continue to keep watch, though; the stars are in motion, and there is a weight beginning to settle on my mind. Something is coming… a great tempest, indeed… but for now, it is too late to think on it. I am tired. I am sure you are, too."

"Then I will take my leave of you, Father," Shingen replied, bowing as his father did. "I will be on guard, and be true to the Code. I will not fail you."

"I know, my son," came the whispered reply as their astral link ended. "I am proud of you."

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The early morning sun crept through Akane's window bit by bit, as though hesitant to wake the sleeping girl within. The air held a slight chill, and a light breeze played across the curtains. Akane lay beneath a thin blanket, a peaceful smile on her face. She rolled onto her side, letting out a soft sigh as she did so. Her eyelids fluttered, still clinging to sleep. "Ranma…" she murmered, moments before an errant shaft of sunlight passed over her face. She winced, then slowly opened her eyes and stretched her hands out, reluctantly letting her dreams slip away. Glancing at her alarm clock, she realized it was still a few minutes before it was supposed to go off, but oddly enough she didn't feel sleepy enough to turn over and shut her eyes. In fact, she felt well-rested.

"Wow," she said to herself as she sat up in bed. "I don't think I've slept that well in a long time. I wonder what was different…" Then she remembered the night before, and her smile returned. "Hm. Maybe it was the goodnight kiss." She eased out of bed and stood up, stretching as she did so. "Or maybe it's because of what he said… or both." A slight flush crossed her cheeks as she remembered their moment alone in the dojo, in particular their first kiss. The flush disappeared, however, replaced by a look of annoyance as her alarm clock started blaring. She slapped the snooze button, sighed and opened her closet to get her workout clothes. Remembering what Ranma had said about training, she almost grabbed her yellow gi but decided against it. _I can always come back for it if I need it,_ she thought as she doffed her pajamas, slipping into her shorts, sports bra and a tank top. _This is better to move in, anyways._

It wasn't long afterwards that she was standing just outside the front door, slipping on her running shoes and doing some quick stretches. The cool morning air sent a shiver racing down her spine, and she rubbed her forearms briskly. "I wonder where that baka is…" she said to herself in a playful tone, stretching her arms high over her head. Just as her arms were at their highest point, a set of hands came around her face and covered her eyes.

"This baka is right behind you, tomboy," came her answer in an almost juvenile tone of voice. Akane yelped, swatting Ranma's arms away as she whipped around to face him. She growled in mock-irritation, prompting him to hold his hands up in an 'I surrender' gesture; this in turn prompted her to stick her tongue out at him, a gesture which he returned readily, followed by both of them snickering and breaking down into laughs.

"You know, you could've just come out the front door instead of surprising me like that," she said as their laughter came to a halt. "How long were you there, anyway? I couldn't tell you were behind me till you pulled that 'guess who' stunt."

Ranma shrugged. "I only just got up a little while ago myself, I wasn't there long." He straightened the collar of the blue sleeveless Chinese vest he'd chosen to wear that morning.

"You weren't spying on me using that Umisen-ken of yours, were you?" she asked, a slight teasing tone in her voice.

He shook his head. "Nuh-uh. I was just movin' slow, that's all. An' I promise you, I wouldn't even think of usin' the Umisen to spy on you."

_Tell her you'd rather use it to spy on someone who's actually cute… make a joke about visiting Ucchan's or Shampoo's, you know you love to see her lose her temper…_ Ranma winced, his eyes going wide for a brief second before shaking his head about and pinching the bridge of his nose. _Dammit, what the hell is wrong with me? Why do I keep getting these urges to tease her when I know I don't really want to? What am I talkin' about, I think I can guess why… at least if what Shingen says is the truth… well, tough luck! I'm not gonna make a joke like that! I'm not gonna make her lose her temper over that!_

"Ranma? Are you okay?"

He glanced up, the throb in his temple dissipating. "Yeah… yeah, I think so," he sighed, swinging his arms back and forth. "Just having a little internal debate."

Akane blinked, a concerned look on her face. "Do you think… maybe it's the infection?"

Ranma nodded. "Possibly. I dunno. All I do know is that something just tried to make me hurt your feelings… y'know, say something before thinking about it. Well, I just happened ta think about it first. No harm done."

Akane nodded. "Well… I guess that's a good sign… Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"Don't worry 'bout me, Akane, I'll be alright for now. Anyway, we've got something else to do right now. You wanna start finding out how good you can get at the Art?"

She nodded happily. "Damn right I do! What did you have in mind? Early morning sparring? Maybe a few katas?"

"Actually, first I was thinking we need to loosen up a bit. I noticed you'd already done some stretching, so I thought we'd start off with something easy… and fun."

Akane blinked. "What would that be?"

"Nothin' much… just a game of Tag."

Akane stared at him, wide-eyed. "TAG??? Are you serious? What kind of training do you call that?!?"

"Hey, there's nothin' wrong with a game to warm things up, is there? Ya know, get the muscle kinks out and all? Besides, after the last few days I thought we could use a little fun."

Akane groaned. "I thought you were going to take this seriously…"

"I AM taking this seriously, Akane."

"Then why are you suggesting a kids' game? We're too old for junk like that, we're just a few years shy of majority age, you know."

"Yeah, don't remind me…" He set his hands on his hips and looked at Akane in a defiant manner. "Okay, how 'bout I throw a little wager into the mix as well? We race in a loop, startin' at the front gates and endin' there. If you catch me before we get back, you win. Ya don't, I win… and the loser has to treat the winner to lunch."

Akane shook her head, partly in astonishment, partly in amusement. "This is ridiculous… you got me up at the crack of dawn to play games?"

Ranma smirked. _Now to reel her in…_ "What, scared you're gonna lose?"

"Lose? At a game of TAG? You gotta be joking, Ranma."

"Come on, you know you're gonna wind up losing, that's why you don't wanna do it."

Akane bristled. "Excuse me?? I was running just as fast as you yesterday, unless I'm very much mistaken! Or were you lying to me?"

"Are we gonna argue all morning, or are ya gonna put your money where your mouth is, 'kane?"

"Fine! You want to play games so badly, you've got yourself a bet, baka!"

"Now that's the tomboy I know and love!" Ranma chuckled, just as he stepped in and lightly tapped her shoulder. "Tag! You're it!" he quipped, spinning on one heel and dashing out the front gates.

"Huh? HEY!!! That's no fair, you got a head start!!!" Akane hollered, scrambling out the gate and pounding down the street after him. "Get back here, Ranma!!"

"Gotta catch me, Akane!" he hollered back. He turned and sprinted down a side street, looking back to see Akane pick up the pace, her sneakers pounding the pavement and her bare legs flashing in the early morning light. _Gods, she really is an amazing sight when she's running,_ he thought to himself as he ducked down another side road, colliding with a trash can as he did so and knocking it into Akane's path. _I never woulda told her that back before, she'd have clobbered me then, called me a 'pervert' or something… maybe I'll tell her once I've finished pushing her limits this morning._ Directly behind him, Akane was barreling towards him at breakneck speed; he glanced back in time to see her clear the fallen trash can with the skill of an Olympic hurdler. "Just you wait, Ranma, I'll get you yet!!!" she yelled, and he thought he detected a hint of a laugh in her voice. He noticed she was starting to close the gap between them, and started pushing himself to the limit. "You call that running, 'kane? I'll bet Mikado Sanzenin moves faster than that, even without ice skates!" A groan of irritation was his reward, and suddenly the side street ended at a T-intersection near the canals; green chain link fence loomed before them.

_Now things get a bit hairy,_ thought Ranma as he turned on a dime and dashed left, running parallel to the fence. _I hope to gods this works…_ "Looks like you're buyin' lunch today if ya can't catch me!" he shouted, just before leaping up onto the fence and continuing to run.

"Oh, you better think twice about that, Mr. Saotome!!!" Akane shot back. "I'm not gonna lose to a stubborn baka like you!!" At that moment, she did something that ordinarily she wouldn't have done. Had she been thinking straight, she would have laughed off the idea, or flat out recoiled, but she wasn't thinking straight. All that mattered was catching up to Ranma. Catching up to her crazy fiancé and proving him wrong. Thus, she didn't even notice herself plant her feet on the pavement, scarcely felt herself leap- and flip- a good fifteen feet in the air and paid no attention to the fact that she was now _running along the fence rail_ directly behind Ranma, and all without wobbling or once losing her balance.

Ranma kept running, shooting the occasional glance back and making goofy faces as he did so. He could hear the _slap-slap-slap_ of her sneakers getting closer, not faltering once, and he grinned to himself in elation. _I knew it! I knew she had it in her; she just isn't letting herself do all that she can!!!_ In the blink of an eye he was off the fence, and she was right behind him. "You think you're so fast, buddy, you've got another thing coming!" Akane cried out, her voice now a mixture of annoyance and amusement; as much as she hated to admit it, trying to catch up to him was actually becoming fun. Days before, she would have been infuriated by the barrage of quips he'd been tossing back at her, but for some reason she found she couldn't get as mad as she used to… especially with the faces he'd started pulling. A smug look crossed her face and she pushed herself even harder, ignoring the burning sensations in her leg muscles. She didn't notice or even care when their path took them along another fence rail, across a brick wall and into a playground; she barely batted an eye as Ranma sprang over the jungle gym in one leap and she followed suit, jumping almost as high as he had.

Their chase continued out of the playground, over a series of trash cans and a dumpster, until finally the two of them were sprinting across neighboring rooftops. Ranma kept glancing back nervously, hoping his distractions weren't wearing off, continually surprised at the ease with which Akane was roof-hopping… until finally he landed on the flat roof of a three-story office block, turned around to get another reassuring glimpse and realized Akane was practically on top of him. A second later, her palms collided with his chest, pushing him back onto the rooftop as she rolled forward, the two of them tumbling end over end until Ranma was lying flat on his back with Akane sitting on top of him, straddling his stomach.

The two of them paused for a moment, each one catching their breaths, before Akane leaned forward, crossing her arms and leaning her elbows on Ranma's chest. "Tag. You're it… and I win," she said with a smirk.

Ranma blinked, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Yeah, you win all right," he said, and Akane blinked in surprise as she noticed the look he was starting to give her. "That… that was absolutely incredible, Akane."

"Huh? What's so incredible about chasing you all over town because of a silly game?"

Ranma reached up and took hold of one of her wrists, his expression becoming serious. "Akane, do you have any idea what you just did?"

She stared at him, slightly confused. "Um… I was chasing you… and then I caught you…"

"Were you chasing me in a straight line?"

"Hell no, you kept changing directions on me and jumping over…" She stopped in mid-sentence. She blinked as she mentally retraced what they had just been doing, gasping as she realized the unorthodox route they had just traveled. In the moment, she hadn't given it a second glance, but now that they had stopped a look of utter surprise began to settle on her face. She glanced around, noticing for the first time that they were on top of a building, then stared back into Ranma's eyes in amazement.

"Ranma… did I… did we…"

He gently squeezed her wrist. "Yes, you did. And you did it a lot better than I expected."

Akane shook her head, still in shock. "But how? I mean, I can't… I've never been able to…"

"You never allowed yourself to, Akane," was his gentle reply. "I told you yesterday, you've got amazing potential to improve, but you just haven't been using it. You haven't been able to because you tell yourself you can't." He sighed, a brief flicker of guilt crossing his face. "An' I'm sure I didn't help much back when I used to tease you about your skill. But you just proved you _can_ get better. Hell, you were running that fence rail without so much as a wobble!"

Akane's face brightened. "I… I guess I was, wasn't I?" she murmured. "I didn't even notice I was doing it, though; I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to catch up and… and…" She looked at him again with a flash of realization. "Is that why you were making all those jokes? To keep my mind off what I was doing?"

"Um… more or less… I figured if you focused on beatin' me, you wouldn't be telling yourself you couldn't do what we just did," Ranma replied. "The fact is… an' don't take this the wrong way… sometimes ya think too much about what to do, an' that's what trips ya up. Yeah, it's important to think about what you're doing, but if ya think too much and overanalyze, you'll never do what ya need to do. Brains is good, but sometimes instinct is better. That's my first lesson to you, 'kane… Don't think. Just do. The talent's in there, you've just gotta use it."

Akane paused in thought. "Don't think, just do?" she asked. "Is that all there is to it?"

"Well, obviously we'll have to take some time with training and memorizing some moves together, but once you've learned something, don't be afraid to use it. Remember, we are the school of Anything Goes, after all."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right about that… I still can't believe I did that, you know. I didn't think I was good enough, or that I was too clumsy; I never expected to be jumping rooftops or fences like you do." She paused. "Do… do you think I could do it again if I wanted to?"

"I know you could. Just remember, don't think about it. Just do it. That's what I do, anyway."

She smiled even brighter. "And here I thought you were just fooling around with a kid's game," she giggled as she leaned forward, pecking him lightly on the lips. "Thank you."

Ranma chuckled, then stopped as an awkward look crossed his face. "Um… Akane?"

"Yeah? What's the matter?"

"As much as I hate to tell you this, we probably should get back home… and I can't do that very easily with you on top of me…" Akane blinked, then turned bright red as she noticed for the first time the position she was in, sitting on top of him with her bosom pressed against his chest. A familiar urge welled up inside her, wanting to scream _pervert_ at the top of her lungs, but she pushed the urge away as several thoughts hit her in succession. One, she had shoved him down and sat on his stomach, not the other way around. Two, aside from giving her wrist a gentle squeeze, he had kept his hands to himself the whole time. Three- and most surprisingly- she realized she didn't really feel that uncomfortable. She hadn't even been aware of their position until he pointed it out.

"Umm… yeah, you're right about that, I guess…" she stammered. "Guess I tackled you harder than I thought, huh… Sorry." She quickly shifted her weight, moving off of him and standing up awkwardly.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Akane. I wasn't really complainin' that much," Ranma quipped, laughing nervously as he got up. Akane flushed crimson again and was about to lightly swat him when they both heard a sound that turned their blood to ice. A very high-pitched, obviously maniacal laugh, which was quickly accompanied by the sight of numerous black rose petals wafting through the air.

Both turned rapidly to see the source of their distress standing on the building's climate control system, ribbon at the ready and a murderous glint in her eyes. "KODACHI!!!"

"How DARE you, you trollop!!! Attempting to seduce my poor beloved Ranma-sweetums on a rooftop! And in broad daylight, no less!" The black-haired gymnast snapped her ribbon taut between her hands. "Oh, and dare I mention the grievous insult thou hast inflicted upon my dear brother? He cannot walk from one room to the next without discomfort, and do not try and deny it was you who wounded him! He speaks of naught but you day and night!"

"Like I care!" Akane shot back. "And what are you talking about, I wasn't seducing anyone!"

"You liar!!! I saw the two of you in an embrace mere seconds ago; thank the Kami I chose to stretch my limbs this morning, or who knows what you might have done to my darling Ranma!"

"Who the hell said I was your darling Ranma to begin with?" Ranma groaned. "We don't need this right now, Akane, let's get the hell outta here," he said in a low voice. "They'll be waitin' for us back home, an' if we get caught up in another fight before school..." She nodded once in response.

"For luring my sweetums with your underhanded means, peasant, not to mention your ill treatment of my brother, I shall have my revenge!!!" Kodachi proclaimed, twirling her ribbon in rapid circles and laughing her hideous cackle. A quick hop and she was airborne, lashing out in Akane's direction. Akane bolted, darting towards the edge of the building with Ranma right alongside her. She could just make out a series of lower buildings just ahead, and a wave of doubts began to claw at her gut. She glanced at him, worried, but he only smiled and nodded in return.

"You can do this, Akane!" she heard Ranma say in a firm tone. "Just focus on getting home! Don't think, just do!"

Akane gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing. The edge of the building got closer. _Don't think, just do… don't think, just do… I did it once before, I should be able to do it again! Don't think… just… DO!!!_

She pushed off of the edge of the building with all her might; she was vaguely aware of the sensation of being airborne, could see Ranma right next to her… the next thing she knew, she had landed on the next building over, stumbling slightly as her legs absorbed the shock, and was still running. Directly behind her came the sound of maniacal laughter and the clack of Kodachi's shoes hitting the ground, but for the moment Akane blotted it out. _I did it!!_ her mind sang, her heart soaring. _Not the best landing in the world, but I actually did it! And Ranma said this was just a warm-up today; maybe I'm not a klutz after all!_

"Never fear, my sweet prince! I shall save you from that vile Tendo harlot!" Kodachi sang as she half-sprinted, half-danced right behind them. The next few minutes became nothing short of chaos defined as the three began a hectic chase across the rooftops of Nerima. Akane and Ranma bobbed and weaved across successively lower and lower buildings, and with every rooftop they crossed, Akane's worried glances became fewer and her smiles grew more dominant. A snap of a ribbon at her heels caught her attention, breaking her elation for a second, then with a quick leap she and Ranma had ducked off the house they had landed on and descended into the alleyway. A few seconds later, the sound of a trash can being crushed under a laughing gymnast's weight reached their ears.

"Geez, that freakshow is relentless!" Ranma growled, gripping Akane's hand tightly as they dashed down the alley.

"She and her whole damn family; can't we just sock her in the face and go home or something?" Akane replied, sweat beginning to run down her temples. Just then they heard Nerima's most feared battle cry waft down from the street just ahead of them.

"What a haul! What a haul!!!!"

Ranma glanced at Akane, an evil grin crossing his face. "I've got a better idea; hold on tight!"

"What do you… ack!!!" Akane gasped as Ranma swept her off her feet and into his arms. With a quick spin, he kicked at a nearby pile of garbage bags, aiming in the direction of the crazed Kuno sibling who was closing in on them. The bags ripped open, showering Kodachi with a deluge of random garbage; Kodachi was unperturbed, shielding her face with one hand while she spun her ribbon in wide arcs, cleaving the assorted trash into powder. Glancing up again, she only saw the end of the alley in front of her, and Ranma and Akane nowhere in sight.

"Ah, playing hard to get, my love? How delightful, but you know you cannot hide in an open street!" she laughed, prancing out into the street, then stopping to look around and find where Ranma had gone.

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"My oh my, this has been most productive indeed!" Happosai chuckled to himself as he bounced down a side street, burglar bag on his back stuffed full of underwear. "Just the thing to shake off the sleepies! Now if only I could find a pretty lady to snuggle up to, and make this the perfect morning…"

His train of thought was briefly interrupted by several loud crashing sounds emanating from a nearby alley. He slowed down a touch out of pure curiosity, followed by his eyes sparkling with joy at the sight of a lithe, athletic young woman clad in a skin-tight leotard leaping forth from said alley. She appeared to be searching for something, or someone, with extreme urgency.

"Well, whaddya know!" Happosai mused, his eyes sparkling like a child's on Christmas. "Looks like the Kami decided to be generous to Grandpa Happi today!" He bolted forward, a huge grin on his face; just as the girl turned to face him, he lunged forward and buried his face in her cleavage. "SWEETO!!!"

Kodachi's scream of terror could be heard as far away as Kyoto.

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A few minutes later, Ranma had dropped to the ground not far from the house's front gates, Akane still in his arms and both of them laughing hysterically.

"Oh gods… the look on her face… that was absolutely priceless!!" Akane gasped as Ranma set her down. "You were right, that was soooo much better than punching her lights out!"

"Less risky, too; better the old lech get a faceful of sleeping powder than us," Ranma guffawed, before calming down a bit. "She's probably gonna be sore as hell, though… but with any luck she'll be too traumatized to do anything to either of us," he added with another chuckle.

"Let's hope so; gods, that couldn't have worked out better," Akane replied, stretching out and sighing as her laughter calmed down. "This was a lot more fun than I was expecting for this early hour."

Ranma nodded, straightening up as well. "Me too, and a lot more productive than I expected. I'm really proud of you, Akane."

Akane blushed. "Thank you, Ranma… that means a lot to me. Though I think I still need to work on my technique a bit, some of those rooftop landings kinda shook my ankles up."

"That'll happen a bit at first, it happened to me too when I started. We'll probably have to work on your balance as well, but you probably shouldn't try fence-running when we go to and from school."

"Huh? Why not? If I need the practice, why shouldn't I try it then?"

Ranma looked away, one hand awkwardly behind his head. "Well… if you're walking the fence top in your uniform dress an' a guy happens to walk past you an' look up…"

Akane's face went red. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that."

"I just wouldn't want ya to be embarrassed, that's why I suggested not doing it to and from school." He paused. "Well, I suppose you could wear running shorts under your uniform or something…"

Akane shrugged. "It's okay, I'll work something out, maybe practice at home after school or something." She took a deep breath, wrinkling her nose as she did so. "Right now, though, I think we need to get cleaned up; after all that running we're both kinda ripe."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Ranma replied as they headed for the doors. "Oh… um… one other thing," he stammered. "Sorry I swept you off your feet like that earlier, when we were getting away… I know you don't really like it when I do that, but I figured we could cover ground faster…"

Akane nodded slightly. "Well, I don't like it too often, since it feels like I'm losing control," she said in a slightly serious tone. She looked up, then smiled. "But… um… I guess I don't mind it every once in a while. Actually… it's kind of nice."

Ranma smiled slowly. "So you didn't mind?"

"I was surprised at first, but after that it wasn't so bad. I dunno…" she trailed off, before shrugging and giving him a coy look. "C'mon, we'd best get cleaned up." She jogged slowly through the gate, kicking her shoes off as she entered the front door. "I get the bath first!" she added with a giggle.

Ranma groaned theatrically as he followed her inside. "No fair, you got a head start!" he laughed. _I swear, she never ceases to amaze me. I thought she'd have a ton of trouble just staying on the fence, that she'd start thinking about it too much and fall off; not only does she stay on the fence, with just a little more fine-tuning she could really begin to take off!_ He stopped in the front hall, smiling. _She knows how to do these things, she just hasn't been letting herself do them. I really shoulda offered to train her sooner; even if she'd smacked me back then it woulda been worth it. I know she doesn't always like it those times I fight for her, when she'd rather fight for herself… _

_**So don't fight for her. Let the others do what they will, she's not worth the time or effort!**_

_What the… where did that come from? Dammit, I know that wasn't what I meant to think!!_

_**You don't need her, you never needed her! You're a lone wild stallion, always have been and always will be…**_

_NO! I hate being alone!! I hated those damn training trips with my old man! I hated thinking I'd never find someone to love, and I HATE thinking that I nearly wrecked it between Akane an' me! STOP PLAYING WITH ME!!!_

"Are you alright, Ranma?"

Ranma blinked hard and shook his head a few times. Shingen was standing in front of him in jeans and a tan t-shirt, his brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and kept out of his eyes by his black bandanna. "You looked like you were spacing out there for a moment; is something up?"

Ranma sighed. "I dunno… how long were you standing there?"

"Not long. I just got up; noticed Akane was about to use the bath so I figured I'd do some stretching in the dojo. Sounds like you two got back from a jog or something."

"Yeah… I promised I'd help train a few of her problem spots." Ranma looked up. "Shingen, I got a problem…"

"What kind of problem?"

"I'm hearin' this voice in my head…" He continued to detail the other times it had happened, the harshness of the words, the way it mirrored some of his own arrogance when he had first arrived in Nerima, how it seemed determined to drive a wedge between him and Akane. As he talked, Shingen's eyes hardened and he put a hand to his jaw in thought.

"All I know is, I don't like the way it's talkin' about Akane. An' I'm not so sure it's gonna stop that easily."

Shingen nodded. "It sounds like the infection may be attempting to assert itself."

"That's what I was afraid of," came the reply. "Does this mean I give up and go crazy now, save everyone time and money all around?"

"No, that's exactly what you shouldn't do," Shingen replied harshly. "The fact that you're resisting is a good sign; it could indicate the infection is starting to grow desperate. It may even sense impending confrontation."

"So what do I do? Can you do anything about this yet?"

Shingen shook his head. "Not until later in the day; I still need a little more time. But for now, I may have a temporal solution… in fact, it's something the others may need soon as well."

He disappeared down the hall into the guest room, returning a moment later carrying a piece of hematite on a red cord. A foreign rune was engraved in the rock, which seemed to glimmer with a light all its own. "This warding stone was keyed to ward off mental assaults, either by hostile magick or an invasive spirit. I have several of these, in fact I have just enough for six people if need be. I suggest you wear this around your neck the rest of the day; its power should compel the infection to remain dormant until I can do something better."

Ranma picked up the stone, looking at it with a doubtful eye. "I dunno, pal… I've had some very bad experiences with magic items in the time I've been in this town…"

"I understand that, Ranma, but I would not offer you this if I did not feel it would help you. Remember my blood oath and the tenets of the Hunter's Code; I would not knowingly use the trappings of our work to do harm to another human. The warding stone has been used before, with great success; I swear it will not harm you or any other that wears it. And until I can procure enough materials to treat all those infected, these may become a necessity."

Ranma looked at the stone a moment longer, then shrugged and slipped the cord around his neck. "Well, if it'll keep me from having to argue with myself, I guess I can put up with it." Just then the padding of footsteps in the hall could be heard.

"I thought I heard someone come in… Oh, good morning, Ranma!" said Kasumi as she poked her head around the corner. "And to you too, Shingen-kun, I didn't know you were both awake this early."

"I couldn't sleep anymore, Kasumi-san," Shingen replied.

"Same here," said Ranma. "Me an' Akane decided to go on a jog together."

"Oh, that sounds nice!" said Kasumi with a smile. "I'm just fixing breakfast now, it won't be too long."

Nabiki plodded down the stairs, sleep evident on her face. "Too early to be so damn cheerful, sis…" she grumbled, wiping her eyes. Soun appeared as well, stumbling half-awake out the door to collect the morning paper. Another morning at the Tendo house had begun.

To Be Continued…

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Author's note: Yep, another longish chapter. I'm finding the more I write, the more I flip back and forth between short and long chapters, and I hope this one didn't ramble too much. I've got a lot planned, so this story may take quite a while.

Wonderbee31: I agree, Cologne often acted very unfairly; honor was a part of it, to be sure, but I always thought some senility had something to do with it as well. Also, it may take a while for the other cursees to be noticeably troubled; Ryoga's begun slipping into madness, Ranma's fighting it off- as for the others, future chapters will tell.

Lordrosse: Thank you for your words of encouragement, and I will admit, the 'beautiful tomboy' and 'handsome baka' exchange was very sappy. However, I'm not the only author who's done that. It is cheesy, but I felt like a bit of cheese at the time. It won't come up that often, I promise.

To anyone else who may be reading my fanfic: your reviews and words of critique are important to me, they help me develop my plot and writing style and also affirm that people are reading my material. I've got a lot of chapters to develop, and each review helps encourage me to write a bit faster.

Until next time, I shall remain… Neon Ronin


	10. Tensions Rising

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. You've heard the spiel before, I know. Now on to what you're actually here for- the show. Please remember some of my series knowledge is limited; I work with what information I can find. Enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 10: Tensions Rising

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That same morning found one resident of the Neko Hanten somewhat less than happy.

"THIS NOT POSSIBLE!!! Great-grandmother, this no can be true!!!" Shampoo screamed in anguish, eyes wide and hands beginning to tremble. "Ranma… Ranma belong to Shampoo, is airen! Is future husband! Is not possible for Ranma to refuse!" she cried, tears beginning to form.

"Child, I'm afraid you will have to accept it," Cologne admonished, her head bowed as she sat on the countertop. "He has made his choice, and through his actions- which you yourself witnessed, mind you- he has proved the strength of his conviction. Were we to come between him and the Tendo girl now, I seriously doubt we would be able to stand against him. By all rights, he has earned the Right of Refusal."

Shampoo shook her head viciously. "No! Shampoo no believe this! Ranma cannot choose violent pervert girl; her skills no match for me! She is angry, sexless, ugly kitchen wrecker and Ranma…"

"Has chosen her," Cologne said sharply, cutting Shampoo off. At that moment, Mousse stuck his head around the corner.

"Did I hear that right, old mummy? Is it true? Saotome is no longer bound to my Shampoo and has chosen another??" he asked, a silly grin on his face.

"Put your glasses back on, stupid," Cologne sighed, cracking him on the head with her cane. Mousse staggered and pushed his glasses back over his eyes; he had been talking to a potted plant.

"Yes, it is true, I promise you both. I paid a visit to both of them last night and had a long discussion with them, and from what I observed there was no doubt in my mind." She shuffled over to Shampoo, who was leaning on the counter in shock and shivering. "It's over, child. Our pursuit of Ranma has to end. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. The Council has been informed of my decision. I won't deny that my own heart is heavy because of this, but at the same time I know it is the right thing for us to do." Mousse's grin widened another centimeter and he fidgeted, desperately fighting the urge to run out and dance in the streets.

"How you say this so calmly?" Shampoo retorted, slamming her hands on the counter. "Tendo girl has stolen airen! This can no go unanswered; Ranma belong to Shampoo!!!"

"Please, think about what you're saying, my love," said Mousse as he stepped closer to her, resting his hand next to hers. "You have to be reasonable about this. Don't you remember what happened at Phoenix Mountain? Don't you remember the way he fought Saffron when none of the rest of us could even touch him? Remember the destruction, the pain?" He paused, then gingerly slid his hand on top of hers. "He did that for her sake. For her safety. And if that safety were threatened again…"

Shampoo yanked her hand out from under his, turning her back to him. "Stupid Mousse, Shampoo know this already! Why you think this so painful? You think Shampoo not know this after everything Great-grandmother say?" Her shoulders began to shake as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I try so hard to make Ranma see Amazon virtue, Amazon strength… and he not appreciate it… not even take Shampoo to date…"

Cologne sighed. "I know it's hard, child. It's always hard to give up a much-enjoyed pursuit… but if it does continue and Akane gets hurt because of it, it would become disastrous. Ranma could very well snap if she were physically harmed, especially after he fought and killed once for her sake." Mousse nodded soberly. Shampoo said nothing, staring off at a speck on the wall.

_Yes… if Shampoo physically harm pervert girl, Ranma will hate Shampoo. But… if she refuse him herself… if she hate Ranma so much she hurt him, Ranma may come back!!!_ A sly, almost feline grin crossed her face and she bolted from the restaurant, dashing upstairs to her room.

"Child, what are you doing?" Cologne hollered. "Shampoo, get back down here right now!"

"Just one moment!" she shouted back in a sing-song tone. The sound of a drawer opening and various small metallic objects hitting the floor filtered down the stairs before she came running back down again. She wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and plastered a quick smile on her face.

"What were you just doing, granddaughter?" asked Cologne. "Why did you leave so suddenly when I was not done talking with you yet?"

"I sorry, Great-grandmother. Shampoo make too much fuss over this. You right; this stop now. Must apologize and congratulate Tendo girl on victory. Have found gift to make amends."

Cologne's eyes narrowed. "You seem to be recovering rather fast, child. Almost too fast. Just a moment ago you argued that Ranma could not love her, and now you wish to present her with a gift and make amends?"

"Yes, Great-grandmother. I go now," she replied, darting to the door.

"Shampoo, stop. You're not going anywhere until I'm sure you're telling the truth. I promised that boy there would be no more tricks, and that applies to you as well!" Cologne glanced at Shampoo's hands, noticing her right hand clenched tight around something, but it was so small she couldn't see what it was. "What's that in your hands? What kind of 'gift' have you got there?"

Shampoo glanced at the wall clock. "Great-grandmother, Shampoo serious!" she cried, screwing as much sincerity into her voice and eyes as possible. "Look at time, Ranma on way to school now; if I no go quickly then miss him and Tendo girl until afternoon!" Before Cologne could get up from the counter and close the distance, Shampoo slid the door open rapidly with her foot and sprinted out into the morning air.

"CHILD! Get back here this instant!!!" Cologne hollered lividly.

"Granny, what's going on? What's she doing?" Mousse asked.

"My guess is she's about to do something incredibly stupid, possibly most dishonorable," was Cologne's reply. "I was afraid of this; she really has grown fond of the boy. And if she does anything untoward to either him or Akane this morning, gods help us all…" She shot a serious glance in Mousse's direction. "Go after her, Mousse. You're faster than I am, you've got to catch up to her and make sure she doesn't do something rash."

"Don't worry, granny, I won't let you down!" He adjusted his glasses to make sure they were tightly on his nose, cracked his knuckles and dashed out the door. "Shampoo! Come back! Don't bother yourself over him, he isn't worth it! I'm here for you, I always have been…" His words echoed down the street until they were no longer audible. Cologne shook her head, then shuffled across the counter to the telephone and quickly dialed the Tendo dojo.

--------------------

"That was a first, we actually had a quiet breakfast for a change."

"Chalk that up to Pop not bein' around to swipe everything he can get his paws on," Ranma said with a laugh. They had made good time getting ready for class and were walking side by side along the canal. "He's probably gonna be sore next time we see him, 'specially if Mom kept him on a short leash."

"You're probably right," Akane replied. "He's most likely grumbling over how you're 'getting soft' because he wasn't there to play Punt the Panda with you this morning," she added with a snicker.

"Heh… I like the sound of that, sounds like a carnival game. Punt the Panda, only 500 yen a whack," Ranma quipped, setting both of them off laughing. "Well, I can live without Pop's exercises for one morning. I… well, I kinda liked our exercises better."

Akane smiled. "Yeah, me too." She glanced around, noting that they were the only two on the street at the moment, then turned on her heel to face Ranma. "Hey, since there's really nobody watching, you think maybe we could practice a little more?" She nodded her head towards the fence.

"Uh… you really wanna do some more fence running? In your dress?"

"Ranma, if I'm going to get better at the Art I have to practice, you know that."

"Yeah, of course I know, but… y'know what I said earlier… if the wind picks up or someone comes along…"

"I thought of that, silly," she said, stepping closer to him and tapping him playfully on the nose. "First, if someone comes along I'll just jump down. Second, I decided to take your advice before we left the house."

"Um… what advice?"

"Running shorts," she said with a wink.

Ranma blinked. "You mean you're already wearing…" He glanced briefly at her dress then trailed off and looked away, not daring or wanting to say anything that might be considered mallet-worthy.

Akane shrugged. "I figured better safe than sorry. Besides, who'd notice anyway? Now come on, I need you to make sure I don't fall off or anything." With a quick hop, she was airborne, her shoes clicking on the top of the fence rail easily. She straightened out, but began wobbling and swaying back and forth before she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders steady her. She took a deep breath and relaxed, slowly willing herself to stand straight up. _Don't think, just do…_ She opened her eyes, gazed straight ahead and started to walk. Ranma followed close behind her, arms at the ready to brace her if needed.

"Don't try to walk too fast, Akane. Take it one step at a time," Ranma said softly. Akane nodded, settling on a pace which was a little slower, but still making decent time. Her shoe struck a rough spot on the fence and she started to wobble again, flailing her arms out to try and stabilize. Ranma caught her around the waist, supporting her and holding her in place until she was balanced again.

"You're still thinking about it too much. Don't pay attention to the rail, keep your eyes forward…" He trailed off as he noticed his hands had slid down to her hips, and he promptly pulled back, expecting the mallet. "Um… if you'd rather I didn't hold you like that…"

"No, it's okay, Ranma," she replied. He couldn't see her face, but it sounded like she might have been smiling. "Maybe a year ago I might have minded… but that was then. I… I don't mind so much anymore. I really don't. And I promise you, I'm not going to hit you for keeping me from falling." _I've hit you way too often as it is… no more. Not now, not ever. I won't make a mistake and drive you away._

Ranma breathed a sigh of relief and they continued walking; this time, Akane picked up the pace a little and Ranma's smile grew brighter as her wobbles grew few and far between. "There ya go, Akane, you're doin' great so far!" he said at length. "Try a little faster; don't worry 'bout a thing, I'm right behind you." Akane nodded, increasing her pace a bit more. She swayed slightly, but a hand on her outstretched forearm kept her from overextending, and soon she had settled into the faster pace with ease.

"I can't believe it," she said, a laugh in her voice. "I'm really doing this! And it doesn't even feel that hard!"

"Exactly," said Ranma. "Once you stop thinking about it, it gets easier. You just gotta trust in your own skill- but I gotta be honest, not everything we're gonna go over is a cake walk. It'll be rough."

"I know, Ranma. And I'm ready for it. I knew the Art was going to be hard work when I first started learning, and…" Akane trailed off and stopped walking. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked, halting just behind her.

"Disgruntled Amazon, heading our way," Akane muttered, jumping off the fence to the ground below. Ranma sighed and followed suit, glancing up in time to see Shampoo skidding to a halt in front of the two of them. It looked like she had just run a marathon; her violet hair was in disarray, she was breathing heavily and her pink Chinese pantsuit was rumpled and looked like it had been slept in. Her hands were clenched loosely and there was a look in her eyes that neither Ranma nor Akane could identify at first. It was a mixture of shock, anger… possibly even fear.

She straightened up, brushing her clothes down and looking at the couple before her as dispassionately as she could. "Nihao… Ranma." She glanced at Akane, giving her a sour look. "Shampoo wish to ask something, and want only truth."

"What do you want, Shampoo?" Ranma asked in a tired voice. _Better give her a chance, that's what Cologne asked us to do…_

She cleared her throat. "Is… is what great-grandmother say true? Ranma take Right of Refusal, choose violent girl instead of Shampoo?"

"I have a name, you know, and I'm standing right in front of you," said Akane irritably. "It wouldn't kill you to say my name once in a while, and I'd really appreciate it if you started now."

"That goes for me, too," Ranma added, stepping forward so that he was next to Akane. "And to answer your question… yes. It's true. The old gh… Cologne offered me the Right, and I accepted it. As little as you may want to believe that, it's the truth. There is no binding law between us now." He bowed his head forward slightly. "I… I'm sorry if that hurts you, and I hope you will respect my choice."

Shampoo stiffened for a moment; her eyes betrayed her calm exterior. "I… I see," she said in a cold, emotionless voice. "Then is only right that Shampoo accept choice. If Elder has granted Right, must yield. Is Amazon way." She turned to face Akane, and both noticed she was shaking slightly. "I yield to… to Akane," she mumbled, almost spitting the name out, then glanced up again.

"Shampoo wish to present former rival with gift."

Akane blinked. "A… a gift? For me?"

"Token of apology. Wish for brighter future for all," Shampoo replied. She stepped forward, bringing her right hand up and reaching for the lapel of Akane's blouse. Ranma had a split second to see a glint of sharpened silver between the Amazon's fingers and a sly look cross her eyes, and something inside him snapped, screaming _DANGER!!!_

"Akane! Get back!" he shouted, pushing her to one side and grabbing Shampoo's wrist with lightning speed. Shampoo gasped, eyes widening as her target stumbled just out of reach; seconds later Ranma spun behind her and wrenched her arm into a submission hold. "Okay, what the hell have you got in your hand? Is this another one of your goddamned tricks? I told Cologne I wasn't gonna put up with any more crap from you!!!"

"Aiya!! No hurt Shampoo's arm!"

"Ranma, what's going on? What're you doing to her?"

"What were you trying to pin on Akane? Huh? C'mon, drop it!" He grabbed a hold of her wrist, bending it around until her clenched fingers loosened and a cry of pain escaped her throat. With one quick motion, he tore something out of her right hand and pushed her away from him, causing her to collapse awkwardly on the ground in front of him and shake her arm in discomfort. Ranma glanced at the object he'd yanked away from her; a look of surprise crossed his face, followed by a look of pure disgust. "Great Kami, I was hoping I'd never see this damnable thing again," he growled, flinging the item to the ground. Akane looked down and gasped; lying on the sidewalk was a familiar looking turquoise pendant with a frowning face staring back up at her, though inverted it would appear to be smiling.

Akane stared for a moment, then glared at the Amaxon nearby. "The Reversal Jewel, huh? Is that what you were about to pin on me? That's your idea of a token of apology?"

"What the hell were you gonna do with that? Pin it on her and watch things fall apart between us or something? Make her hate me? Is that what you were trying to do?" Ranma's fists were clenched and his face livid; Shampoo glanced up at him and her eyes went wide with fear. "That's it, isn't it. This wasn't some acceptance speech, it was another one of your goddamned plots to get me away from her and possibly into your arms, wasn't it? WASN'T IT???" His battle aura began to flare around him as he took another step forward, and the Amazon in front of him began to tremble. Reluctantly she nodded her head in affirmation, then slumped forward on her knees, bursting into tears.

"Figures she'd try something like this," Akane muttered. She picked up the brooch, turning it over in her hands before looking up again. "Cologne warned us this might happen, too." It was then that Shampoo's sobs reached her ears in full force, and Akane blinked, taking a step closer as she did so. In all the time they had been rivals, the Amazon had never backed down, had always maintained a stoic and confident exterior, especially in the presence of her or any of the other girls. Akane knew the girl was proud, that she would never dare show weakness to an outsider, least of all an outsider female, yet here she was, on her knees in a complete breakdown. Akane's expression softened slightly; anger at what had nearly happened was still there, but so too was a speck of sympathy for the Chinese girl.

Ranma's own expression wavered slightly, but his rage remained tightly controlled. "I swear, Shampoo, if you ever… and I mean, EVER… do anything that harms Akane again…"

"SAOTOME!!!" Everyone except for Shampoo looked up in time to see Mousse drum his feet to a halt in front of them. He lunged forward, grabbing his intended target around the shoulders. "How dare you make my beloved cry like that? You don't understand, she doesn't know what she's doing! She doesn't realize the mistake she's making!"

"Mousse, I'm over here," came Ranma's voice. Mousse blinked, pulling his glasses back into place before laughing nervously and setting down the trash can he'd been talking to.

"As I was saying, you had no right to make her cry when she doesn't even realize what kind of mistake she's making!"

"I think she knew DAMN well what she was doing, Mousse, she just tried to pin that stupid Reverse gem on Akane! And she was passing it off as an apology gift, too! You think I'm just gonna stand by an' let her get away with something like that?" Ranma paused before letting out a long sigh. "Look, you an' just about everyone else knows I hate to make anyone cry… but would you rather she keep pulling stunts like this? I've had enough. This is the last time. No more second chances, it ends now."

Mousse looked at the violet-haired girl whose sobs were gradually becoming softer. "Shampoo, is that all true? Were you trying to split them up with that brooch after Elder Cologne told you this had to end?"

She looked up slowly, and everybody could see the shame in her eyes. "Y… yes. Try to make A… Akane h-hate Ranma… then Ranma come back and b-become airen again…" She covered her face with her hands and turned away. "Know it is mistake… b-but… Shampoo l-love Ranma… why Ranma not love back…"

"What's going on here?" a voice from up the street called; Akane turned to see Shingen running up to the group, straightening out his leather jacket as he did so. "The Amazon Elder just called the dojo, something about impending trouble."

"Who is this person?" Mousses asked, raising an eyebrow. "And what's he doing here?"

"He's a friend," Akane answered, before turning back to Shingen. "Apparently Shampoo isn't taking things too well, she tried to stick this on me before Ranma stopped her."

She held out the brooch; Shingen took it in one hand and narrowed his eyes, shifting his perception. "It feels like this gem is saturated with some pretty powerful alteration magic; where did she get something like this?"

"It's an ancient Amazon treasure, one that caused a lot of trouble a few months ago," Mousse interjected. "And I ask again, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help," Shingen replied coolly. "And I'm also the one who witnessed the Elder grant our mutual friend Ranma the Right of Refusal, in case there's any question about that."

"Help? Help with what?" Mousse asked.

"I won't go into all the details now, but first we need to calm her down," Shingen said, gesturing at Shampoo who was crying harder and was pressing her hands to her temples. He concentrated again, focusing on her aura.

_Hmm. The disruption's there, just like Ranma's… only hers is starting to spike a little, and that's not good. Now what about the other… yep, just like the Elder said, he's disrupted too. But it looks like his is more stable, possibly because he's calmer, or maybe his will is stronger. Still, best to be safe until their wards are ready._ "Excuse me, miss, are you alright?" he asked gently, kneeling next to Shampoo who glared daggers at him. "No, Shampoo not alright, strange man!" she shot back. "Airen is lost, great-grandmother will be upset, and now Shampoo's arm and head hurt!" She bit back another sob, rubbing her temples; Mousse kneeled next to her and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. She flinched at first, but then relaxed, too absorbed in herself to shout at him.

"Look, I can understand you're feeling very conflicted right now…"

"What you know about conflicted? What business of yours what Shampoo feel?" she retorted.

"Your Elder asked me to make sure you and the others were okay, that makes it my business," Shingen replied. "I'm not at liberty to explain it all just yet, but right now you have to calm yourself. It's important."

"Shampoo no listen; you are outsider! How Great-grandmother know you, or trust you? How you expect that I believe this all be true?" She swung a hand weakly towards him, trying to claw at his face but missing completely.

Shingen sighed. "Alright, you don't have to believe me for the time being, but I promise you I did have a long talk with your Elder last night; it enlightened both of us on a few things we didn't know. She'll tell you more about that later, but since you obviously won't listen to me now, maybe you'll listen to someone else." He turned to face Ranma. "I can't do much if she isn't going to cooperate with me," he said in a low voice. "The most we can do is try and reason with her, tell her what's done is done, then maybe she'll listen at a later time."

"Reason with her?" Ranma almost laughed. "I tried to explain that outdated law when she first showed up, what makes you think she'll listen now?" Just then he felt a gentle squeeze on his arm and looked up at Akane.

"Maybe we should try talking once more. Clear the air and all. Remember, Cologne asked us not to be too hard on her; look at the state she's in. I've never seen her fall apart this badly. Can't we just try?" she asked.

"Akane, she was just about to play some major head games with you! You really wanna try talkin' after she pulled that stunt? She never listens!"

She nodded, a serious look in her eyes. "I won't deny I'm still mad at her, but you were willing to talk things out and forgive Shingen, so… I don't know. I guess I just don't want to hurt someone who looks like she's hurting enough already." She looked again at Shampoo, who was almost on the brink of tears again. "We might as well clear things up, even if she doesn't like hearing it. You're right about one thing- this needs to end."

Ranma looked at the miserable Amazon long and hard. Eventually he shook his head and sighed, "Alright. I know she's not gonna like hearin' what I got to say, though." He took a few steps forward, then turned back briefly. "I'd rather be the one to break this to her, if that's okay with ya." Akane nodded slightly, and he turned to face Shampoo again, kneeling and gritting his teeth as he did so. "Shampoo… I know this is hard for you to hear, but the plain truth of the matter is I've tried ta make you see how I feel almost since day one," he said, forcing gentleness into his voice. "You have to listen to me, because I'm not gonna say it again.

"I… I don't love you, Shampoo. I have never felt that way about you. You tried to kill me when you thought I was a girl, then tried to beg or coerce me to marry you when you found out otherwise. Whether it was offering a 'cure' for my curse or holding somethin' over my head, it's always been the same- your feelings first, and whatever I felt or anyone else felt didn't count. After all your tricks, traps, magic and gods know what else you came up with, do you really think there's anything that could change how I feel?" He paused, letting his words sink in. "I'm not someone who can be forced ta love anyone, and I don't like bein' used. If you think force is the only way to get a husband, think again. That's not love, that's just plain sick. Please understand, I'm not the man for you. And if you keep this kind of attitude, I won't even be a friend. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."

Shampoo sniffled, fresh tears beginning to fall across her cheeks. "B-but tribal law say…"

"Tribal law be damned," Ranma replied, a tad harsher than he intended. "You can't use that as an excuse to care about someone. Have I ever even given you cause to care for me, besides the fact I beat you in an impromptu match? Even if I hadn't been exempted by Cologne last night, that law could never make me care about you the way I care about Akane." He paused again as her eyes widened. "Yes, you heard what I said. I'm not hidin' my feelings anymore, especially after the way you an' the others wrecked our wedding. You knew damn well what I had gone up against and still saw fit to interfere. I'm going to make it absolutely clear right now- love is not a friggin' dog collar, like you seem to think. It's something you give, not something you take by force.

"I know Akane and I've had some pretty bad fights in the past, but that was then and this is now. I made a bunch of mistakes when I first met her, wasn't sure if I really knew her- but I know her now. I'd do anything for her… even though she'd never want me to, I'd die for her. An' you know I already killed once for her…" he said, trailing off with a catch in his throat. "You'll just have to find someone else who can feel that way for you, because I'm not the one."

Akane stood off to one side, slightly overwhelmed by all that Ranma had said. _He must've been holding all that in for a long time; I don't think I've heard him say something like that before, except for what he told me through my door that night. Sometimes I think I really underestimate you, Ranma…_

Shampoo wiped her eyes with a shaky hand and looked up at him. "Ranma… would truly die for Akane?"

He nodded slowly. "If it came down to it, yes, I would. But… I'd rather live for her." _An' I never woulda thought of saying that openly a few weeks ago, either, in case it got me or her clobbered. But I gotta drive my point home, and I ain't gonna lie about how I feel._

The Amazon before him nodded sadly. "Then Shampoo make too, too big mistake today… and will not bother anymore." She stood up, almost woodenly. "I go now. Restaurant not run itself…" She looked at Akane, and slowly nodded to her, then turned to face Ranma again with vacant eyes. "Goodbye, Ranma… I… sorry…" She sniffled once, turned to walk away, and promptly fainted into Mousse's arms.

"Shampoo!" he cried, cradling her as she collapsed to the ground. "It's okay, my dearest… I've got you. It's going to be alright… I'll take you home." He brushed her hair away from her eyes gently, then looked up at the others. "Saotome…"

"Don't even start with me, Mousse," Ranma groaned. "I'm in no mood to hear you tell me that I hurt her, 'cause I already knew I was going to when I started talkin'. Ya think I really wanted to see her in tears? Ya think I wanted _anyone_ ta get hurt?"

Mousse shook his head slowly. "No… I know you didn't want that. I didn't, either, but if this is what it takes for this chaos to end…" He adjusted his glasses to get a better look at the others. "I'm just glad you didn't do anything violent towards her after she tried to trick the both of you."

Ranma nodded. "It wasn't easy holding back, I promise you."

Akane nodded as well. "That goes for me too; at first I wanted to clobber her for trying to pull another dumb stunt on us. But now…" She looked at the unconscious girl in Mousse's arms. "Crazy as it sounds, I guess I feel a little sorry for her."

Mousse stood up, holding Shampoo close to his chest as he did so without once breaking into a grin. "Desperation makes us do crazy things sometimes," he said softly. "I'd best take her home and have Elder Cologne take a look at her. I'm sorry I couldn't stop her before she intruded upon you both." He bowed his head lightly in their direction. "May our next meeting be under happier circumstances, Saotome."

Ranma nodded, smiling lightly. "I'd like that."

"Me too," Akane added.

"Here, before you go, you'd best be taking these with you," Shingen interjected just as Mousse was about to turn and leave. He stepped forward, clutching a pair of hematite pendants in his right hand and a folded piece of paper.

"What is that supposed to be?" Mousse asked, looking at Shingen quizzically. "And for that matter, you still haven't explained much of anything about yourself or why you're here. Or what you meant when you said you're here to help."

"Your Elder knows what I mean," Shingen replied. "Give her that paper, it contains information she requested when she phoned the dojo, including a note or two about the pendants." He handed Mousse the items, who accepted them with a blank look on his face. "You and the girl had best put the pendants on once you get back; your Elder will explain why."

"Why can't you explain now?"

"I have business to attend to back at the dojo, and your Elder is expecting you back as soon as possible; her words, not mine," Shingen replied. "Trust me, it's important you give her that note and listen to everything she has to say."

Mousse looked at him for a moment skeptically, then sighed and nodded once in agreement. "Alright, I'll take this back to her, but if I don't get an explanation…"

"Trust me, you'll know all you need soon enough," Shingen said as Mousse turned and started off for the Neko Hanten. "Probably more than you bargained for."

"Shingen, why didn't you just tell him?" Akane asked. "He has every right to know."

"He doesn't know me yet, Akane-chan," Shingen answered. "It'll be better if they both hear it from the Elder, she can break it to them a bit easier. Besides, the girl needs time to recover first, and more importantly she should put that pendant on. The disruption in her aura was spiking; if I'd told her she could have started losing control."

Akane paled. "Does that mean she's getting worse?"

"I don't know. Hopefully the pendants I gave them and the instructions should give the Elder a chance to settle her nerves and buy us some time." Shingen glanced at his watch. "Speaking of which, you should get going or else you're going to miss the school bell."

"Ah, crap!" Ranma groaned.

"That's just the last thing we needed," Akane growled. "C'mon, Ranma, we'd better pick up the pace." She slung her bag over her back and started to run when she felt Ranma grab her wrist.

"Not that way, 'kane," he said with a smile. "We'd better take a shortcut. That is, if ya don't mind a little more refresher training?" he added, nodding his head towards a low stone wall and a series of distant rooftops. "Think ya can handle a rooftop bypass?"

Akane grinned. "I wouldn't mind in the least… and as for the thinking part, I thought you said that was off the checklist. Let's just do it!!" She bolted for the wall, jumping to the top and starting for the rooftops with Ranma hot on her heels. Within seconds, they were airborne and weaving an erratic route across the Nerima skyline, laughing as they did so.

Shingen chuckled quietly to himself for a moment. _Looks like his aura is stable for the moment. That's good; it'll give me the time I need to prepare one treatment and start work on another ward. I'd better head back and inform the others._ He turned to go, but stopped as he heard a faint sound from a nearby alleyway.

_What was that? That sounds like somebody crying or… _He peered into the dimly lit alley just in time to see a person abruptly turn and run away. From his vantage point he couldn't make out facial features, but the figure was vaguely female, about medium height. Shingen squinted and could almost make out that the figure wore slacks and a sort of short-sleeved vest, and had long dark hair pulled back and held by a white ribbon. The strange thing about the figure, though, was the object carried on its back; it looked to be the size of a traditional polearm, but didn't resemble any he had ever trained with. It looked much like a large paddle… possibly even an oversized spatula.

_Hmm. Curious indeed… who was that? And for that matter, why was she in the alley? She may have been suppressing her aura, else I might have noticed her beforehand… but it doesn't feel like a demonic presence, at least._ He stroked his chin in thought. _A spy, maybe? Or someone else from Ranma's past?_

Shingen stood standing for a few minutes in thought before shoving his hands in his jeans and heading back towards the Tendo dojo. _Well, whoever that was isn't really worth my time. I'll have to ask Ranma about it once he gets out of school for the day… but in the meantime, I've got more important things to worry about._

He let out a breath of air and started to jog. "Time to get ready."

To Be Continued…

--------------------

Author's note: There will be a little more time between this chapter and my next posting, not because I'm running out of ideas- I've got definite plans for this story- but because I have other things that need doing and will require time. Rest assured, I'm not done with this story by a long shot. I'm planning to finish this if it kills me, but it'll take a long time. I appreciate your reviews and support in the meantime.

Borg rabbit: Thank you for your support, and yes, I spelled magic that way deliberately.

Wonderbee31: You may have noticed the voices didn't present themselves as much in this chapter… at least not in Ranma's head. How much they may have influenced Shampoo is another question, and I leave that to your imagination. As for the first treatment, that's coming up, but whether Ryoga appears at that time- you'll have to wait and see.

Luna12: Again, I thank you for both your reviews and offer of the manga. I know Ranma may still act a bit OOC at times, but I still feel that going through what he went through at Jusendo would prompt him to start maturing a little bit. Or perhaps his old awkwardness was being enhanced by something else…

The-Shadow002: Glad to hear you're enjoying this work, and I'll try to get future chapters out at a decent speed.

ForgottenSmile: While never mentioned in the manga or anime, I felt the 'just do' philosophy would make sense. Hope you liked this installment.

Agito: I appreciate constructive criticism, but I would appreciate it more if you would leave out the vulgarity. I have mentioned several times that I'm working partly from memory and partly from what I can find online, so obviously there will be some discrepancies. As for the thing about the oath, remember Akane had just found out herself and likely garbled some of what she had heard when she retold it. I'm not the first fanfic author to mention that Ranma swore to keep silent. As for his presence at the wedding, yes, it may have been an accident but the way his mind works, especially under influence of his own inner demons and possibly a Jusenkyo demon, it's not unreasonable for him to rewrite the way things happened in his mind and rekindle his anger at Ranma. This may become more evident in future chapters; as it is, I will reiterate that I am no expert on the series, I'm just doing the best I can. I only hope at least part of it is entertaining.

Thank you to everyone who's read so far, and let me know what you think; tips and critiques are still welcome so long as they are not in the form of flames, which I do not appreciate. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	11. Prelude to the Purge

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I just borrow them for my own and other people's amusement. And now, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 11: Prelude to the Purge

* * *

The final bell signaling the end of classes for the day was a welcome relief for both Akane and Ranma, despite the fact that it had been an almost eventless day for them. Once they had gotten over the confrontation with the Amazons, Ranma's rooftop shortcut had put them in front of the school gates with enough time to avoid being on bucket duty. Each of them had subsequently groaned in irritation as Kuno limped out from behind a tree, spouting more poetry about Ranma being the vile Paris who was stealing his rightful Helen, i.e. Akane. Ranma, being oblivious to Greek epics, had no idea what Kuno meant, so was very relieved when Akane cut the spiel short by threatening Kuno with another place kick to the crotch. A look of severe pain had crossed Kuno's face as he backed away, obviously still in deep physical agony from the previous day's injury to said area.

That one confrontation aside, the school day had proceeded without any violent incidents- which prompted some students to speculate that maybe they were dreaming, that they'd made a wrong turn that morning and weren't at Furinkan High after all. Kuno's rants were nonexistent for the rest of the day, Ukyo hadn't come to school at all in the past week, there was no random hole in the wall being created by Shampoo's bonbori- and strangest of all, Ranma and Akane weren't fighting with each other. Sure, they did trade a few verbal jabs between classes involving homework and Ranma's messing up a few easy questions, but the usual fury seemed to be absent. Daisuke and Hiroshi were arguing a conspiracy theory, that they'd been brainwashed by the Men in Black. Sayuri and Yuka both pondered whether they were beginning to come to terms with each other. Gosunkugi brooded all day before disappearing to make a new Ranma voodoo doll. The other students didn't say much, but did cast a few odd looks their way. Thankfully the principal was at a conference somewhere, so nobody had to suffer through a bout with the hair clippers. (Someone later speculated there was no conference, and that the principal was off at a luau.)

As they were walking home, Ranma's brow furrowed and he pinched at the bridge of his nose absently. "Man, I never knew school could be so boring when ya aren't getting in scraps every ten minutes," he said.

"I know, but it was nice not to have to put up with the usual ton of interruptions," Akane replied. "I just wish some people would get a clue and butt out of our business; Kuno can't possibly be dense enough to try something again. Not after today, anyway."

"Didja see how big his eyes went when ya started drawing your foot back?"

"Yeah, that was priceless," Akane giggled. "I guess he values the family jewels a bit more than his vendetta against you."

"Not more than his damn crush on me, you know he left a threat on my desk demanding I release ya and his 'pig-tailed goddess' from my 'evil grasp'," Ranma replied, shuddering. "What am I gonna have to do, dump a bucket of water over myself in front of him or somethin'? I'm sick o' him not pickin' up the clue."

"Maybe you won't have to do that, if Shingen can do something about your curse…" She trailed off, noticing his hand on his nose. "Ranma? Are you okay?"

He stopped pinching the bridge and nodded. "I'm fine, just a twinge."

"Are you sure?" she asked, concern in her voice. "You're not just playing it down to keep me from worrying, are you? You've had those pains off and on since yesterday."

"Akane, I'm fine," he said easily. "It doesn't really hurt as much as it did before; I haven't really felt anything all day except now." He fingered the hematite pendant around his neck. "Dunno about the way this thing looks on me, but I haven't been hurtin' much since I put it on."

Akane nodded. "Um… what about… that other thing?"

Ranma blinked, then nodded as he remembered. "Oh, ya mean arguing with myself… hadn't really crossed my mind till now." He shrugged. "Guess that's a good thing, huh?"

"I guess," said Akane with a shrug. "Still… it probably wouldn't hurt to talk to Shingen once we get home. Maybe see if he can tell us more about what he's planning."

Ranma sighed. "I just hope whatever he's got up his sleeve isn't gonna be another letdown; had to deal with too many false hopes before, so if this is another one…"

"Well, with any luck it won't be. Remember, he did swear that blood oath to repay you after he nearly eviscerated you, what reason would he have to break his word?" Akane asked.

Ranma scratched the back of his head. "I've known a few other people who didn't give much thought to giving their word and then breaking it. Pops certainly springs to mind." Akane smirked a bit at that as they turned a corner and started down the street, the gates to the dojo just ahead of them.

"Um… Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

Akane cleared her throat. "Well… I was just wondering… do you think maybe… I mean…"

"'Bout time you showed up, m'boy!" said a familiar voice tinged with irritation. Both Ranma and Akane winced as they glanced up at the dojo wall where Happosai sat perched on his burglar bundle. "I've got a bone ta pick with you, Ranma!" he added, jumping down to the street below.

"With me? What the hell did I do ta you?" Ranma shot back, his fists clenched.

"What is the meaning of that young whippersnapper in there taking over MY room?" the little man snapped. "I no sooner get home from my morning constitutional when I find that some stranger has moved himself into the dojo, and all my silky lovelies moved into the attic storage space! How could you allow such disrespect to your master, sonny? As heir to the Anything Goes school, you have a duty to…"

"Like HELL I do!" Ranma shouted. "I wasn't the one who offered him the room in the first place! You weren't here to say anything about it yourself, hell, you come an' go as ya please, why shouldn't someone else be allowed to use that room once in a while?"

"Ranma, don't rile him up…" Akane admonished, but he was too focused to hear her.

"And another thing! I'm sick and tired of hearing how I have a duty to just about everything under the friggin' sun! I've tried my damnedest to live up to other people's demands, hell I've even helped ya out of a jam once or twice and where has it got me? Nowhere! An' now you're tellin' me I gotta act as your own personal landlord as well?"

Happosai scowled. "Are you denying you did nothing when that scoundrel moved in? You just stood by and let him set up shop in MY bedroom, didn't you? On top of which, he's put up some sort of warding that won't let me or anyone else in! The man's trouble, I can smell it!"

Ranma gritted his teeth. "You're lucky I haven't pounded you flat because you drank that keg of Nannichuan, old freak. Fact is, now that I know a little more I don't even care! That guy isn't trouble, he's tryin' to help us out with these damn curses! Kasumi offered to put him up here because he doesn't have a place to stay, it's not my fault you weren't here to object!"

"Ranma…" Akane whispered, tugging on his vest. "Stop pushing his buttons, you don't know what he'll do."

Happosai blinked, then put his hand to his chin in thought for a moment. "Hmm. You do have a point in that I wasn't here… and I suppose Kasumi and her dear heart of gold isn't entirely at fault… but that doesn't excuse the fact that nobody pointed out that the room was mine or suggested the lad sleep in the dojo. I'm most annoyed at this, m'boy; looks like I'll just have to teach you a little lesson in respect." That said, he bounded into the air and darted through Ranma's legs, striking the side of each knee as he did so. Ranma tried to turn but quickly discovered his knees had locked temporarily; the next thing he knew, a bucket of water landed on his head, obscuring his view for a moment. He- now a she- grabbed the bucket and flung it to one side just as two more sharp stabbing pains shot through her shoulders. Ranma-chan grimaced as she tried to move her arms without discomfort, and realized she couldn't.

"Ranma! What did he do to you?" asked Akane, concern in her voice.

"Oh, he'll be fine; I just locked his joints for a few moments," Happosai cackled, standing in front of them again. "Just long enough to give him his lesson and have me some fun!" With a bounce, he flew through the air and latched onto Ranma-chan's torso, burying his face in her cleavage. "SWEETO!"

Ranma-chan growled in disgust mixed with pain. "You'd think he'd have gotten his fill from Kodachi earlier!" she snarled, grunting as she strained and tried to force her arms to move forward, but only managed a slight wiggle and a flex of her fingers. Sweat began to run down her temples. "Get… off… me… old… FREAK!" she shouted, a reddish-gold aura flaring around her body.

"Not until you fulfill your duty as heir and evict that intruder!" Happosai giggled, too focused on Ranma-chan's breasts to pay any attention. White-gold light flared in the redhead's eyes and her arms began shaking even harder. "Fight… yer own… damn battles, pervo!"

Something warm washed over Ranma-chan from the inside out, breaking the tension on her joints. In a sudden blur of motion, she swung her right arm down and grabbed the top of Happosai's head, yanking downwards and tearing him off of her blue Chinese vest. A ripping sound rent the air as part of her collar gave way, accompanied by a sharp snap and the clink of something heavy hitting the pavement. "You wanna play games with me, Happy? Fine, let's play a game of Kick the Can, an' you get ta be the can!" She let go of his head for a brief millisecond before her right leg connected with a front snap kick that sent the diminutive martial arts sensei skyrocketing over the Southern skies of Nerima.

Akane shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder why Dad ever got mixed up with the likes of that jerk," she muttered. "You alright?"

Ranma-chan brushed her hair back, a smug look on her face. "I'll be okay. Just hope the freak won't be back for a while; with any luck that kick took him to Korea." Akane laughed and started for the gate. Ranma-chan followed suit… then skidded to a halt as a sensation akin to a bolt of fire shot across her eyes.

"Uuhhhh….. Oww…"

Akane's eyes widened. "Ranma?" She turned to see the shorter redhead stopped dead in her tracks, doubling over and grasping her head with both hands. A strangled gasp escaped her mouth and she stumbled forward, colliding shoulder-first against the gate. Her breathing started to get harsh and she started shaking her head from side to side.

"Urghh… stop it! Stop it, I don't want to hear it! Leave me alone!" she gasped. "Arghhh… AAHH! DAMMIT, DON'T MAKE ME DO THAT!" She smacked herself in the forehead before collapsing and punching the walkway hard enough to crack a paving stone.

"Ranma, what's happening?" Akane asked frantically. "What's gotten into you?"

"Voice…" Ranma-chan groaned, staggering up again, hands clamped against her temples. "Screaming… so loud… Great Kami, MAKE IT STOP!" Just then her eyelids snapped open, and Akane gasped as she saw Ranma-chan's eyes glowing bright vermillion.

"Oh gods," she said in a shaky voice. "Ranma, get a hold of yourself!" _Is this what Shingen was talking about? I thought he said we had time! I thought Ranma's will was strong enough that we didn't have to worry about anything, so why? What's happening to him? What am I supposed to do?_ She grabbed the redhead by the shoulders and shook her gently. "For Gods' sake, you're stronger than this, I know you are! Snap out of it! Please!"

Ranma-chan's ruby-tinted eyes narrowed on Akane; her hands shot up between Akane's arms and snapped outward, breaking the taller girl's hold on her shoulders. Her mouth opened and Akane's eyes widened as a darker, yet still very feminine, voice found its way from Ranma-chan's throat. _"I will not let you be with him…"_ A second later, she sprang forward, her clenched fist aimed right at Akane's head. Akane's left arm snapped up out of instinct, parrying the blow- but barely. "What are you talking about?" she pleaded, shaking her surprise off as the redhead continued to advance, throwing two more punches and a kick at Akane's head and abdomen. "Stop it, Ranma! Don't make me have to hurt you, please!" Akane's hands flashed furiously, somehow blocking Ranma-chan's attacks almost before they happened, but Akane didn't even notice. Ranma-chan paused and snapped her right fist back, but the movement was slower than usual, giving Akane the chance she needed to dart inside of the smaller girl's range of motion; once there, she clapped both hands around Ranma-chan's face and pushed her against the open gate, staring right into her eyes. "Ranma, look at me! You have to get a grip on things and calm down! Don't give in to this; I know you don't want to and I'm not going to let you!"

Ranma-chan blinked, the red glow vanishing from her eyes. Her arms froze in place, and for a few seconds the two just stood there, staring at each other. A look of revelation passed Ranma-chan's face and she shuddered, dropping softly to the ground as her knees gave out.

"Oh geez… oh gods, Akane, I'm sorry! I… I can't believe I just… please tell me I didn't hurt ya…"

"It's okay, Ranma," she replied softly, kneeling next to her and drawing her into a hug. "You didn't hurt me. Don't worry about me right now; I'm worried about you, and you should be too."

Ranma-chan shook her head from side to side. "I don't get it… I was just fine a moment ago, then all of a sudden there's somethin' screamin' at me, tellin' me to make you cry… I feel like my head's on fire, an' then…" She looked up into Akane's concerned eyes. "I felt like a damn puppet in my own body, 'kane… what the hell's happenin' to me?"

Just then the front door burst open. "I thought I heard someone screaming… Akane? Ranma? Oh my, are you both okay?" Kasumi asked as she approached the two of them.

"I'm not so sure anymore, Kasumi," Ranma-chan murmured sadly. "I think we gotta talk to Shingen."

"Something went haywire inside of him," said Akane. "He was just fine up until Happosai decided to try and grope him, then all of a sudden he screamed in pain and started losing control." At that moment Shingen appeared on the front steps, followed closely by a concerned Nodoka.

"What's that about losing control, Akane-chan?" Shingen asked as he approached.

"I don't know," she replied. "I'm afraid his curse might be… I don't know…"

"Let me take a look," said Shingen as he crouched next to Ranma-chan who was still shivering and shaking her head in disgust at herself. He shifted his perception, examining her aura long and hard, eventually standing up with a heavy sigh. "Hell's bells. The disruption in his aura just spiked, and it was strong enough that his own force of will barely held up to it. This is worse than I thought; the demon within the curse must be sensing something and is trying to act on it."

"You mean he might be running out of time?" Nodoka asked nervously from the doorway.

Shingen frowned. "Well, it's either that or the infection's been trying to assert itself all day and just now managed to break through his defenses with all its accumulated attempts. Like a roof collapsing under the weight of too much snow." He folded his arms and looked at Ranma again. "But that shouldn't have happened, since…" He trailed off, then kneeled once more to look at the redhead's neck. "Ranma, what happened to that warding pendant?"

Ranma-chan blinked, reaching up and touching just below her throat. "Huh? But I just had it on a second ago…"

"Is this what you're talking about?" The others turned to see Kasumi at the front gate, holding a broken red cord and the piece of hematite attached to it. "I just noticed it on the ground outside, and I wondered if it might be important."

Akane stood up and took the pendant from Kasumi. "It must've snapped off when you yanked Happosai off your shirt," she said with a sigh.

"You'd better put that pendant back on for the time being, Ranma," said Shingen. "And it might be a good idea to change back into your natural body; something about your aura tells me the infection has a stronger hold when you're in your girl form."

Ranma-chan nodded sharply. "Akane, have ya got that thermos again today?" Akane nodded and flipped her book bag open, wrenching the lid off the thermos as she drew it out. Steaming water poured over the top of Ranma-chan's head, turning red hair to black as she turned back into a he. Ranma breathed a sigh of relief and took the pendant from Akane's outstretched hand. A quick knot later, and the pendant was back in place.

"How do you feel now?" Shingen asked.

Ranma blinked twice, then rubbed his temples once before nodding. "Doesn't hurt now, an' I can't hear anything weird either."

"Are you sure?" Akane asked warily.

"I am for the moment, at least," he replied. He stood up slowly, straightening out his vest as he did so.

"I think perhaps it's time we talked further on what's to be done; I'm sure that pendant isn't going to work as a permanent solution," said Nodoka softly. She cast a concerned look over Ranma as he brushed dust off of his trousers. _What could possibly make my son cry out like that? And moreover, what was it trying to make him do that he refused so vehemently? He sounded like… like something was tearing at him from the inside out. And all this because of a cursed training ground, too…_

"You're absolutely right, Nodoka-san," said Shingen. "Especially now that his father is here; he'll want to hear about what I have planned as well, since his curse needs treatment just as much as Ranma's."

"Shall I prepare some tea for us, Auntie Nodoka?" Kasumi asked.

"That would be most kind of you, Kasumi," said Nodoka with a smile. Kasumi nodded and headed back inside. Nodoka glanced at her son once more, giving him a hopeful smile before heading towards the tearoom.

"So, what have ya got planned?" Ranma asked as he started up the steps towards the foyer, Akane at his side. "I kinda figured this morning the pendant alone won't cut it, especially after what just happened… for gods' sake, I almost attacked Akane just now. Whatever's inside me, I don't want it."

Shingen folded his arms and nodded. "The pendant is just a tool to offset any mental proddings or psionic attacks you might suffer from the infection. It won't deal with the physical transformation one bit, and as you probably found out, there is the danger of the mental proddings building up and a psychic surge occurring if you lose the pendant."

"So what do we do, then?" Akane asked.

Shingen closed his eyes and sighed. "I'll have to perform a Spirit Purge."

* * *

Kasumi brought a tray of refreshments into a tense tearoom. Shingen sat at one end of the table and had just finished reviewing the salient points of the Jusenkyo curses for Soun and Genma- the ley lines deep beneath that section of China, the focal points of the one-way portals that formed when living beings drowned in the springs, and most notably the gradual effect upon one's mind. Soun was staring alternately between Shingen and Genma, part of him not wanting to believe a thing the younger man was saying, the other half believing the possibility after all the insanity that had plagued the Tendo household for the past year. Shingen's mention of chaos forces in motion around them merely strengthened the belief it was all true. Genma, for his part, was pale and more than a little nervous. Not so much for his own state of mind or the fact that being cursed also meant a form of possession. Nodoka had had some _very_ strong words with him the past night and through the better part of the morning, and he knew that if he slipped up much further, he'd be in trouble faster than you could say 'panda-skin rug'.

The other members of the household sat and brooded. Kasumi tried to smile, but it did little to mask the worry lines on her face. Nodoka sported a similar look, while Akane looked sympathetically at an upset Ranma. Nabiki sat on one side of the room trying to look bored, but failing.

"So… what you're saying, in effect, is that anyone who's fallen under the grip of a Jusenkyo curse might gradually begin to lose control of themselves?" Soun asked, turning to look at his best friend.

"It all depends on circumstance, timing and the will of the victim, but yes, inevitably some form of mental trauma will occur," Shingen replied with a nod.

"You can say that again," Ranma muttered, taking a sip of tea. "Voices in yer head, or ya do something ya didn't mean to do…"

"I just don't believe it," Genma mused, shaking his head. "Who would have thought such an innocuous training ground could lead to something like this?"

"YOU were the one that dragged me there without gettin' the whole story 'bout the place first, Pop!"

"I thought I was doing you a favor, boy! Everything I heard said it was one of the finest training grounds in existence!"

"If you wanted to do me a favor you woulda read the whole story and we never woulda gotten cursed in the first place!"

"Don't you talk back to me like that, boy! You think this isn't hard for me, too?"

"What would you know about it being hard? You sure as hell don't seem ta mind being a panda!"

"Stop this, both of you!" Shingen snapped, banging his palm on the table. "Whatever happened in the past, whatever your reasons for going to Jusenkyo, that's not important right now! What is important is that because of the curses, something has been put in motion and it's affecting the patterns of order in this ward. The longer it lasts, the more chaotic things may become and the more likely each victim will gradually turn towards madness. This is no time for petty arguments or blame-throwing."

"He is right, you two," said Nodoka quietly. "What's done is done; there's no point in arguing whose fault it is or who's suffered more. This is serious. And serious times demand to be treated as such."

Ranma and Genma each let out a long sigh and nodded as they sat back down. Genma absently fingered the runic pendant around his own neck. _This trinket feels pretty silly,_ he thought to himself. _But I won't argue about it; might as well make sure what happened to the boy doesn't happen to me. Besides, I'd rather not argue with No-chan about it…_

"What do we have to do?" Soun asked. "Will an exorcism work? Or one of the Amazons' tribal remedies?"

"If an exorcism was all it took, we could've solved the problem when that oni paid us a visit a few months ago," Nabiki piped up. "Remember, the one that kept jumping into people's heads and we had to use those spirit wards to corner it and put it back in the box?" Everyone nodded, shuddering a bit as they recalled banging those possessed on the head to get the oni out, and how nobody could bring themselves to strike Kasumi when she fell victim.

"A simple exorcism won't do the job in a case like this," said Shingen. "The only way to break a curse of this nature is to destroy its essence completely."

Akane's head snapped up. "Destroy it… completely?"

"How exactly are you planning to accomplish that?" Nodoka asked, a steely edge creeping into her voice. "You aren't planning to use that naginata of yours against my son again, are you?" Genma's eyes widened as he glanced at Nodoka, then Shingen, then at the silk-wrapped polearm standing against the wall.

"I have no intention of attacking demonic essence while it is still confined to a host body," Shingen answered, his eyes and voice level. "That's where the Spirit Purge comes in."

"Spirit Purge?" Kasumi asked.

"An advanced Hunter technique. Its original use was to cleanse land, buildings or inanimate objects of negative energies, 'purging' them as it were. In later times it was altered to include a wider range of uses, especially once it was discovered it succeeded in cases where a standard exorcism might fail. Using a combination of ki channeling and specialized warding runes, the Purge takes hold of the affected aura and separates any foreign intrusions therein before ejecting them from the host. In short, it expels demonic energy forcibly from an infested object… or person." He crossed his arms and looked over the entire room. "It's a secret that has been handed down by the Hunters for a long time. It's not just part of our traditions, it's engrained in our blood, much like a number of our techniques. And like our combat techniques, it's not one I would use lightly." He paused, allowing his words to sink in.

Akane was the first to break the silence. "So if you use this, Ranma could be cured for good?"

Shingen nodded. "I won't deny, there are definite risks involved. The Spirit Purge draws on incredible amounts of ki, both from the caster and from the recipient. A plot of land or a house purified in such a manner wouldn't necessarily be damaged in any severe way, but a living body is another matter. Once the Purge begins, there is no stopping it, and the person being cleansed would have to remain within a specified area- a casting circle. It's the only way to properly break the hold the curse has on the victim's aura, especially if the negative energies are as deep-rooted as yours." He sighed once more.

"In all likelihood, it will not be a pleasant experience. Because your own ki will be in flux during the casting, whoever is being Purged will be in a great deal of pain… but if at any point you leave the casting circle before the process completes, you could end up in a crippled state, or remain cursed the rest of your life. Possibly even both."

"Are you serious?" Nabiki asked. "You mean they could go through hell and back again and still wind up the same as before?"

"Oh, my…" was all Kasumi could say. Soun just stared, shaking his head. Genma looked wary; part of him wanted to jump at the chance to be normal, but another part was telling him quite loudly that pain was a very bad thing. For a few moments, the room fell silent again.

"Pain I can handle."

Akane blinked. "Ranma?"

Ranma took a deep breath. "All I know is I'm sick of havin' to live like this. It's caused me enough trouble before, an' after what just happened to me outside I don't wanna risk something like it happening again. I put up with that damn Cat-Tongue pressure point, Happosai's moxibustion, nearly gettin' locked in my cursed form for good, and gods know what else… what's another trip through hell if it'll stop whatever sent me berserk just a moment ago?"

Genma stood up and clapped him hard on the shoulder. "That's my boy for you! I knew one day you'd see the truth, that every experience, no matter the cost, is a form of training! I'm proud of you, Ranma! This is true courage, being able to risk it all to prove the validity of…" He got no further as Ranma clocked him on top of his head.

"Save your speeches, Pop, you'd just rather someone else went through it before you did so you could see if it was safe or not! How dumb do ya think I am? I'm not doin' this to be some sorta guinea pig for you, I'm doin' it so I don't have to worry 'bout losing control again!" _An' I definitely don't wanna wind up in another position like I was earlier; great Kami, I almost punched Akane out! If I don't get this thing outta me soon, I might wind up hurtin' her for real!_ He turned his head towards Shingen. "How soon can we get this over with?"

"I have the materials for one Purge already, and have begun preparing a second ward as well. We could do one right now, another in a day or so. Unfortunately I still have to wait for additional supplies, so any remaining curse victims will likely have to keep those pendants on in the meantime. They won't prevent the transformation, but their minds should remain sound until I can help them."

"That's a relief, I suppose," said Soun, brightening a bit. "I'd hate to see my old friend Saotome here fall into some sort of breakdown before this is resolved." Just then there was a clatter as Ranma half-dropped his teacup on the table.

"Oh hell… I can't believe I forgot…"

"Son? What's wrong?" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Nabiki added. Ranma looked around the room and sighed.

"Ryoga."

Akane stiffened at the sound of his name. "What? What about that pervert? What's he got to do with this?"

"That's right… that boy who fed me that bad information about you, the one that fell in the fountain. He must be the only one who still doesn't have a ward," Shingen muttered.

"Exactly. The guy could be losing it already, if he didn't lose it months ago," said Ranma. "I think we're gonna have to track that guy down an' get him here fast."

"Ranma!" Akane snapped. "Don't tell me you want to help him after the way he used me… and used you, too! For crying out loud, he tried to kill you a few times in the past year and now you're concerned about him? Why?"

"Because his curse was sorta my fault in the first place, because even with the lies and everything else he still helped us out a few times…" Ranma paused before looking directly into her eyes. "Most importantly, because he's a friend. He an' I did team up briefly here and there, and even though he lied about his own curse he still treated ya a lot better than I did. Hell, I dunno, maybe the fact he was cursed is what made him act the way he did… maybe even what helped him master the Shishi Hokodan." Everyone glanced up; Ranma cleared his throat.

"I'm only guessing, an' I know he made a big mistake, Akane, but he's got the same damn possession problem me, Pop and the Amazons do, and there's one big difference." He stared down at the table. "If he starts going off the deep end, wherever he is right now, what's gonna hold him back?" Akane paled, as did several other people at the table.

"Good gods," Nabiki gasped as images of an Ultimate Shishi Hokodan destroying half the city flashed in her mind. "I sure as hell hope that guy isn't at that point yet."

"Me too," Ranma sighed. "Which is why we probably oughta get him here an' at least get him a ward, but without knowin' where he is that ain't gonna be easy. Besides, he coulda wandered off someplace else by now."

"Perhaps the old Amazon could help?" Soun asked. "She might be able to divine his aura, perhaps even pinpoint his location… though I'm just guessing, of course."

"That's a good idea, Tendo-san," said Shingen. "I'd rather all concerned parties be in relatively the same area; it could help minimize confusion." He stood up, straightening out his jacket. "However, I'd rather _not_ have to wait to track that man down before utilizing at least one Spirit Purge. The faster we get started, the better off all concerned parties will be. Especially since there's already been one incident in which a victim lost control," he added, glancing at a particular pig-tailed martial artist at the table.

Ranma nodded slowly. "Yeah… I guess you're right. Might as well get started."

The others nodded in agreement. Shingen excused himself to gather his equipment and begin making the necessary preparations; the back yard, he said, would provide an ideal space for the casting circle. Soun and Genma decided to retire for a late game of shogi. Kasumi left to prepare the evening meal; Nabiki decided to phone a contact of hers to see if there was any news of a wandering bandanna-clad martial artist. Nodoka excused herself to help Kasumi.

Ranma glanced at Akane. "Hey… you okay?"

She nodded slightly. "I guess so… I'm just a little surprised that you still consider Ryoga a friend."

"Yeah, well… I guess I just realized I can't blame him for everything that he's done. Some of it's his fault, but some of it's my fault, too… an' probably other peoples' fault. That's no excuse for what he did, I know, but right now- wherever the hell he is- he needs a hand. I'm not sayin' you have to forgive him for what he did… hell, I'm not sure I'm ready to do that myself. But I am ready to stop this damn vendetta he has against me, an' hopefully finding him and getting his own curse taken care of might just do it."

Akane looked up, wide-eyed. _I really do underestimate you, Ranma. That jerk played both of us through his curse, and you're still ready to help him out… is it because you feel guilty about getting him cursed? No… no, it's not just that. You've done the same sort of thing with some of your other rivals, too- you could have easily beat the living hell out of Kirin, or Toma or Shinnosuke, but you didn't. You didn't even want to kill Saffron after all that he did…_ She sighed and gave him a wan smile.

"I don't know if I'll be ready to forgive Ryoga for a while," she said. "Then again, if he is in the same condition as you…"

"Maybe worse, you know how easy he gets depressed."

She nodded. "I just hope someone figures out a way to find him and get him taken care of. _Then_ I'll kill him."

"Akane, I hope yer joking about that."

She sighed. "I don't know… right now I'm not really that worried about him so much as I am about you. You really scared me outside the gates earlier; it was like you were coming apart at the seams. I just don't want to see that happen again, Ranma." She turned to face him, placing a hand on his. "I know it's selfish, and I'm guessing it could easily happen to any of the others as well… but I'd rather be secure knowing you're okay, not that your dad or Ryoga or Shampoo is going to be okay. If it was just the transformation, I wouldn't really be bothered, but I don't want to see you lose control again. You once told me you wanted me to be safe… well, I want you to be safe, too."

Ranma smiled. "Ordinarily I'd probably tell ya not to worry about me; you know I'm gonna be okay. But I don't really feel like sayin' that right now." He reached up and brushed a loose strand of her hair aside. "Thank you."

"Anytime," she replied, a slight blush on her face. "Let's just hope Shingen's technique works."

"It will, Akane. I dunno how I know, but I just do. It's gonna be alright."

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's note 2/1/05: Well, this was a little longer to write than usual, but hopefully I've met my 7-10 day deadline between postings. I won't always be making those self-imposed deadlines, but hey, life happens. I do hope this chapter is satisfactory; there are a few sections I'm not totally overjoyed with but then again I am my own worst critic. Thank you for your comments; I've broken the 50 Review barrier thanks to you guys!

Wonderbee31: Glad you like the way things are turning out, and believe me when I say that more loose ends will emerge. How Ukyo is feeling at the moment will be revealed in future chapters; whether she does anything stupid all depends on how much she has heard.

Lerris: Hope this chapter gave you a small glimpse at what might happen to a curse victim. Further details will be forthcoming. Yes, Shampoo's attempt to use the Reversal Jewel is somewhat weak, but desperation can lead one to make mistakes or not think clearly. Your speculation on the curse messing with her mind is valid, and perhaps there was even a tiny part of her that did not want to succeed…

Borg rabbit: Yes, things are hairy at the moment, but there will be some sweetness in the near future.

Luna12: Glad you like the story so far. Yes, Cologne could have beaten Mousse there, but everyone knows the old ghoul is fond of ulterior motives. Only time will tell… and while Shampoo could have disguised the gem, see earlier note about curse victim not thinking clearly.

The-shadow002: Thanks, I agree that after over a year of hell and high water Ranma should have begun to mature some. This is my interpretation thereof, and I'm glad you like it.

A: Glad you like the plot so far; yes, it is a bit cliché, but I do have more in the works for my O.C.'s and the Nerima Wrecking Crew. Yes, the plot veered away from Ryoga for a little bit, but rest assured he is not forgotten and will be returning shortly. I've tried to be detailed without being too wordy, especially since this fic will be spanning a lot of chapters. Finally, in a sense Ranma might have been letting the

chan secret out with his hints, but remember that some of what he knows about honor he learned from Genma. Ranma does try to be honorable when he can, but there have been occasions where he has bent the rules, I don't deny that. In this case, he probably viewed a hint to be something totally different from telling the whole truth.

Thanks again for your reviews; keep sending them in and I'll keep writing. Next chapter- a Demon Hunter attempts to succeed where Happosai once failed. What exactly has been lurking inside Ranma since his visit to Jusenkyo? Stay tuned.

-Neon Ronin


	12. What Lies Within

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I apologize for the slight delay in posting; life caught up to me for a bit. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 12: What Lies Within

* * *

The late afternoon skies over Nerima were beginning to mirror the mood that was creeping over the Tendo dojo- bleak, with a touch of foreboding. Gray clouds had been gathering since noon, gradually taking on a darkish hue, and a chill wind picked up every once in a while. The local news predicted it would rain before the sun was down, something that might have interested the dojo residents any other day but this. Some wondered what they were really in for. Others wondered if they were ready to deal with anything that was about to happen. 

The front gates to the Tendo estate were shut tight, a paper ward scribed with a pentagram running vertically over both doors. Shingen was making a circle of the perimeter wall, stopping every few feet to retrieve a throwing knife and fling it into the earth at the base of the wall. When he reached the center of each wall, he stopped and placed another paper ward perpendicular to the ground. "This is for everyone's safety," he had said when Nabiki had asked him what the hell he was doing. "In case something unexpected happens, the wards should keep things from spiraling out of control, especially once the Purge is completed."

"I can understand the wards, but what's the deal with the throwing knives?" she had asked.

"Those are focus wards; the paper wards are shields," he had replied. "The knives aren't just weapons, Nabiki-chan. They're one of my more versatile tools, especially when it comes to creating a warding circle. Believe me, for what I'm about to do, I'll need all the focus I can get."

"Well, however you pull this off, I only hope it's not going to blow the roof off the dojo or anything else; we've had more of our fair share of repair bills as it is. No offense, Shin-kun, but you better not bust up the place too much, or I'll be sticking you with the tab." _With a little extra tacked on as 'sundry expenses' for myself,_ she had thought. _This guy's gotta be loaded, considering what he shelled out to rent the spare room!_

"I'm well aware of that possibility, and I also know things are going to get a little rough once I've isolated the infestation in Ranma's body," the taller man had said coolly. "That said, anyone not involved in this process is going to have to stay indoors until I give the word; I'm in no mood for innocents to get caught up in this. That means all doors and windows remain shut, and shut tight."

Nabiki had nodded. "So, no spectators, huh? Not even a video camera?"

* * *

"Wouldn't even let me put up a video camera…" Nabiki groused from her seat at the table. Through the shoji doors she could just make out Shingen placing a final ward on the wall behind the koi pond. He made a few quick motions with his hands and appeared to be saying something, but it was too far to hear. 

The other people gathered in the room were each absorbed in their own thoughts, no one saying a word. Soun and Genma sat on one side of the room, still playing shogi but neither one really paying attention. _"I never thought this sort of thing might happen under my own roof, least of all to my baby's future husband… dear gods, if the worst does happen our houses may never be joined…" "I hope that boy of mine pulls through this in one piece. Who would've thought, demons behind the curses… That Shingen boy better be good to his word and get my boy back to normal, or there'll be hell to pay. And once they're sure he's okay, that the treatment works… I'll be home free, too! No more Mr. Panda!"_

Ranma sat cross-legged by the table with his eyes closed, breathing slowly and methodically, trying to calm his nerves. _"To hell and back again for a cure… sure feels like I've done that about a million times already. Geez, I dunno if this is even gonna work; didn't he say somethin' about possibly bein' cursed even after it's over? No, that was in case something goes wrong… well, to hell with it. This is all I got at the moment, an' I'm not backing out now. Not after what I just did earlier. My mind is my own, an' I'm not gonna let some 'infection' or whatever tell me what to do! I don't wanna deal with this Jusenkyo crap any longer, an' I don't want Akane to hafta deal with it either!"_ He glanced sideways at her and smiled softly. _"Definitely not backing out now. I don't wanna hurt ya like that again…"_

Akane noticed Ranma's gaze fall on her; she looked up and smiled briefly before looking away with worry in her eyes. _"I wonder what he's thinking… probably the same thing as me, whether this is going to work or not. Kami, I hope it does, if only to get his mind at ease over the whole mess once and for all.. He looks really tense- like he's about to go to war or something."_ She shifted uncomfortably. _"If it wasn't for that pendant he might really be at war- with himself. And maybe Mr. Saotome, too, or the Amazons… or… or…"_ She glanced up again with a guilty look. _"You're right, Ranma. Even with what Ryoga did to me, and to you, he does need our help, if we can find him. I… I guess I flew off the handle a bit when you mentioned him earlier. I just felt so angry, I forgot how serious this all is… and maybe some of what he did wasn't his fault, but his curse's fault, like you said… geez, now I'm starting to ramble. What's taking Shingen so long? I wish he'd just wrap things up, get in here and get that thing out of you!"_

Nodoka sat on Ranma's other side, glancing at him every once in a while with a concerned air. _"I wish I could say or do something to make this easier on you, Ranma… heavens know it hasn't been easy for you up to this point. Great Kami, eleven whole years… I watched you leave me as a child and you came back to me a grown man. And we might have met face to face so much sooner if it hadn't been for that accursed contract, or the fact that Genma impressed it upon you to the point that you felt you had to hide from me!"_ She wiped absently at a corner of her eye. _"Even with that curse, you're still the man you've always been on the inside… a man I never got a chance to raise, or really call my son… my only son… I've never even truly seen some of your struggles, but had to hear about them after the fact. I wish I could have been there for you… and I know now it's long past time I stopped questioning your manhood."_

The sound of a foot on the back porch interrupted everyone's thoughts. Everybody except Kasumi- who was still in the kitchen- looked up to see Shingen place a ward on each of the shoji doors, then one on the porch itself.

"That should do it," he said with a nod of his head.

Ranma opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "So this is really it, huh?" he said, standing up. "Time to face the music an' go for broke, huh?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Shingen straightened his jacket and adjusted the straps on his fingerless gloves; the pentagram runes on the backs of his gloves seemed to be shimmering with an inner light. "You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." He cast an eye over the rest of the room. "All right, now far be it for me to dictate things in your home, Tendo-san, but anyone not directly involved in the Purge is to stay in here until I say so. Any interruptions during the casting or immediately afterwards could be catastrophic." Soun nodded in agreement, as did most of the rest of the room.

"Anything else?" Akane asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," said Shingen. "I'll need at least one person, maybe two, to stand by and hold Ranma down if necessary."

"Wait a sec, hold me down? What're ya talking about?"

"I told you earlier, the Purge is going to be channeling ki through your body at an extremely high rate. The pain could cause you to try and get out of the casting circle, even if you don't mean to. And if you do fall out of the circle, gods know what might happen," Shingen finished, a severe look in his eyes.

"I don't need ta be held, I can deal with the pain myself," Ranma replied, an equally severe look on his face.

"From what I can tell, you barely managed to deal with the infection taking over your mind less than an hour ago."

"That's not the same thing! Physical pain I can handle; I already told ya I've gone through more than enough of that in the past year alone!"

"Be that as it may, my friend, I'm not going to take that kind of a risk," said Shingen in a firm tone. "If something happens and you start moving out of alignment, I won't be able to stop the Purge to help you back into position. Yes, you're tough, I could sense that when we first fought, but nobody is indestructible. We're either doing this the right way, which is my way, or not at all."

Ranma stared off to the side for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, whatever you say… but I'll hold myself down no problem, you'll see." Akane smirked slightly.

"So who gets stuck playing babysitter?" Nabiki asked. "Maybe his dad ought to, might be a good prep experience for him."

"No, that would be a bad idea, Nabiki-chan," said Shingen. "I'm not going to risk having two infested individuals in close proximity of the same casting circle; I don't know what the results might be, and I'm not in any mood to find out."

At his words, Genma breathed a barely noticeable(he hoped) sigh of relief. He straightened up, clearing his throat. "Well… that's a terrible shame. Ordinarily I'd eagerly step in to offer a hand for the boy, but if it's not possible…"

"You're off the hook by default, Pops, ya don't have to make excuses to get out of it like ya probably would have anyway," Ranma groaned. Genma shrunk back, a sheepish grin on his face as he noticed Nodoka giving him a withering glare.

"I'll do it."

Ranma blinked as Akane got up from her spot at the table. "Huh?"

"I said I'll do it," she said with a faint smile. "If someone's going to have to keep you in line out there, I guess it might as well be me, right?" Soun stared at his youngest daughter, a joyous grin beginning to appear on his face.

"A… Akane, are ya sure about this? I mean, what if somethin' goes wrong out there an'…"

"If something goes wrong then at least I'll be there to help you, right?"

"But… but you could get…"

"I KNOW that, Ranma, and so could you! You think after all we just went through that I'd turn tail and run because of something like this? And don't even try to say I can't handle myself; I'm the one who brought you back to your senses when you lost it at our front gate!" She sighed, letting her expression soften. "I'd rather make sure you get out of this okay than just sit and wait for it to happen, baka. Remember what I said about both of us facing this sort of thing? Rivals, magic, doesn't matter. Like it or not, I'm going to help you out with this."

"As am I," said a calm female voice that caused half the room to stare and sweatdrop.

Genma blinked hard. "No… No-chan? What did you say?" he stammered as Nodoka stood up slowly, her katana gripped tight in her left hand.

Ranma finally found his own voice. "Mom?"

"I want to help, son. It's bad enough that I missed seeing you grow up, bad enough that I couldn't be there in times when you might have needed me most. I know you've endured a great deal of hardship… possibly greater than I could imagine right now… and now that we're back together I don't plan on sitting off to one side. And before any of you begin to object, remember this is my decision and I am not one who is swayed lightly." She cast a steely glance over the room before turning back to Ranma, her expression softer. "I know I cannot take back the years we were apart, or any misgivings that caused us to stay apart, my son. But I can be here for you now. Even if you don't need me, I want to be involved in some way."

Ranma stood still for a moment before smiling very faintly and nodding his head. He knew for a fact that arguing with his mother would be an exercise in futility. "Mom… you know if anything does happen to you or to 'kane out there…"

"Do not worry about me, son," she replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about either of us. I know full well this may be a great risk, but it's one I'm willing to take. And I know Akane is prepared as well."

"You're right, Auntie Nodoka," Akane said with a nod. "We can handle this."

Shingen coughed. "Very well then. If that matter is settled, let's get this over with."

"Um… just out of curiosity, aren't you a little casual for a ritual?" Nabiki asked offhand. "I mean, that whole jacket and gloves thing; shouldn't you have some sort of ceremonial robe or fancy kimono for this Spirit Purge of yours?" _Maybe an outfit decked out in gold thread? He's gotta have something like that for rituals and special occasions…_

Shingen cast a tired look at Nabiki. "Robes are for priests and exorcists, Nabiki-chan. I'm a Hunter. No use for flashy clothes if they don't do anything." He turned and walked out onto the porch, slipping his hiking boots on as he did so.

* * *

"Strip to the waist," Shingen said a short while later as he closed the shoji doors and placed one final ward across them. Just beyond the porch, a small circular diagram about 1 foot in diameter had been etched into the ground by a short blade of some sort. Shingen's jade inlaid tanto rested on the porch, and had obviously been used to create the diagram. A rolled piece of parchment lay next to the tanto, and Shingen's naginata next to that. Nodoka sat on the porch with her katana unwrapped at her left side. Ranma and Akane stood nearby, Akane in her yellow gi and Ranma still in his blue vest and black pants. Shingen turned around and looked at Ranma, who seemed a bit confused. "You heard me, Ranma. Shirt off, now." Ranma paused for a moment, then shrugged and undid the clasps of his vest, letting it fall to the ground where it was soon joined by his tank top. Akane's face flushed a little as she watched him; it wasn't anything new to her, she'd seen him bare-chested before, but for some reason couldn't help but feel somewhat self-conscious looking at him. _I guess I'd never really paid attention to him before… he really does look good with his shirt off,_ she thought absently as her eyes roamed over his chest and arms. 

"So what happens now?" Ranma asked, fingering the pendant still tied around his neck. A breeze picked up, and he glanced at the sky; the clouds seemed to be getting darker by the minute.

"Lie down on the glyph," Shingen replied as he retrieved the roll of parchment. Ranma nodded in response, kneeling down and prostrating his body across the diagram carved into the earth. "A little further up; you need to cover it completely with your upper body." A shift in his position and the glyph was no longer visible. Shingen turned to face him, extending his hands forward with the scroll clasped tightly in his grip. He pulled his hands slowly apart, unrolling the scroll to reveal an ornate ward about a foot long and three inches across. The pentagram sigils on his gloves began to glow a soft blue.

"What do you want me to do?" Akane asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"You stay near his feet, Akane-chan. Nodoka-san, if you could move a little closer to his head." Shingen slammed his eyes shut while the others moved to sit where he had indicated. He began to utter eldritch words which escaped everyone else's understanding completely, no small surprise considering none of them had studied Aramaic. Before they knew it, Shingen stopped speaking and opened his eyes again. Kneeling next to Ranma, he quickly pressed the ward across his chest, then brought his hands back a short distance before muttering a few more arcane phrases. He leaned forward and struck a series of pressure points across Ranma's collarbone and lower sternum, causing him to wince.

"So it begins."

The wind seemed to pick up a notch as Shingen stood upright. The sigils on his gloves shifted from soft blue to white; Akane glanced up in awe as individual runes became illuminated across the ward on Ranma's chest. Suddenly, Shingen's hands darted into his jacket, pulling six throwing knives from within; a quick motion and two darts had embedded themselves on either side of Ranma's head, eliciting a gasp from both Nodoka and Akane. Two more darts landed further out on either side of his waist, and the last two drove into the ground near his knees. Ranma had not flinched even once, but remained stock-still and breathing steady.

Shingen thrust his hands out, extending the index and little finger on each hand. He made several sharp gestures in the air over Ranma's body, and seconds later blue light began to issue forth from the throwing knives surrounding him. The light shot forth in a criss-cross pattern, forming a perfect six-pointed star on the ground beneath him.

The ward on his chest began to glow with a gold luminescence. His eyes squeezed shut tighter, and a grunt of discomfort escaped his throat. Shingen pulled his hands closer to himself, extending all except his ring fingers and thumbs as he began to chant.

"_By the spirits of this world and by the power bound in my blood, I invoke the Circle of Purity."_ The light around Ranma began to intensify, and Akane couldn't help but bite her lip as another groan reached her ears. Ranma's brow was furrowing, sweat starting to run down his temples.

"_Light to darkness, darkness to light, order and chaos in balance. That which is soiled shall be cleansed, that which is sealed shall be released."_ Shingen's hands cut through the air, tracing circular patterns in the air followed by sharp motions that resembled a complicated kata. A dull whine began to echo through the backyard as the light intensified; Ranma's irritation rapidly gave way to genuine discomfort. He clenched his teeth and balled his hands into fists, fighting back the urge to cry out. _Damn it… I knew he said it was gonna hurt, but this… geez… feels like my insides are on fire!_ His head lifted off the ground then fell back again, a pained growl escaping his clenched jaw.

"_In accordance with our bloodline contract, I banish thee and cast thee out…"_

"Aarrrrrgghhh….." Ranma gasped, raising his right fist up and slamming it to the ground again. His legs began to tense up, knees rising up as if preparing to kick out to one side; Akane saw the motion and clamped her hands down on Ranma's ankles, locking him in place. Nodoka blinked, then quickly moved to cradle his head which was starting to rock from side to side. Both women shuddered briefly as an overwhelming wave of ki pulsed through the ground and the air directly between them.

"_In the name of the elements and the clan Yamashira, I command you!"_ The incantation was reaching a fever pitch, the light from the hexagram beneath Ranma's body was almost blinding, as were the gold wards on his chest. A strangled groan passed his lips, and Akane gasped as she barely made out a drop of blood escape his clenched fist. Shingen's hands flashed forward and his eyes snapped open, gold light shining in his irises. Both hands thrust downward, then upward as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, first and fourth fingers extended.

"_Daichu… Tenkuu… Mizu… Kaji… Kurayami… Hikari…"_

Shingen's hands snapped outwards as a deep crimson light began to bleed from the runes on Ranma's chest. His groans were far more frequent now, sweat running down his temples like water; he felt like he was being torn apart piece by piece. The cord holding the runic pendant around his neck snapped, letting the piece of hematite fall to the ground.

"_TSUIHOU!"_

An unearthly scream burst forth from the ward on his chest as the light from the hexagram shot through his body; pushing him to the brink of pain and beyond. Akane and Nodoka both winced as ki exploded from his chest in a tornado of pulsating blue light, then stared as a dark red miasma boiled out of the ward, writhing and twisting as the cyclone wrenched it further, further, further still… until something within gave way. With a final shriek, the glowing miasma tore loose from Ranma's body and, caught by the whirlwind of energy, went careening across the back lawn before colliding with the stone wall.

Shingen's hands dropped. The cyclone of ki dissipated, and Ranma collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap.

For a moment, everything stood still.

Akane gulped. "Is… is that it? Is it over now?"

A haughty, feminine laugh pierced the air around them. Akane's eyes went wide, as did Nodoka's. As they turned to face the source of the laughter, Shingen stepped around Ranma's limp form, brandishing his naginata as he did so.

"I knew it. This has only just begun," he muttered in an ice-cold tone. Before them, the miasma slowly ceased roiling and lurched upward, its form solidifying and taking on recognizable contours. A humanoid shape emerged… androgynous at first… then molding itself into a clearly female silhouette. Shingen's eyes widened. "No… oh, hell no. Not one of those… not here!"

"Well, well, well… I never would have expected this to happen, and right when things had just gotten so much fun."

Akane's head snapped up. _That voice! It… It can't be!_

* * *

"You really are being terribly rude, you know. Forcing me out of such a _wonderfully_ delicious host like that. So much fun to play with, you know. Such a boisterous attitude, not to mention his real _need_ to be manly and prove the old man wrong." The silhouette grew brighter, and brighter still, until all at once its inner light faded away to reveal the figure standing before them. A short girl with a very sexy, voluptuous figure and impossibly bright red hair that fell loosely about her shoulders. The spitting image of Ranma's cursed form, except for the short jet-black horns that jutted from her forehead, not to mention that she was clad head to toe in skin-tight, black sleeveless ninja attire that looked akin to something out of a Victoria's Secret catalog. "Of course, I suppose such an arrangement did limit my freedom somewhat… I did taste freedom briefly once, though only barely aware of it…" 

Shingen stared at the girl in a mixture of shock and anger. "Don't even think of going anywhere, succubus; this little game of yours ends right here and now!"

Akane blinked, staggering to her feet. "Succubus?"

"A Western term for a seducer demon," Shingen growled. "They just love to mess with people's minds and drag them into what seem to be pleasant situations, but in reality lead to nothing but pain. I wasn't expecting one of those beasts to be behind his curse."

"You _wound_ me, sir," the redhead purred. "I merely wished to enjoy myself, and some of his antics were _so_ delightful I couldn't help but prod him in that direction again and again when the opportunity arose." She opened her eyes for the first time, revealing a pair of blood-red irises that seemed to bore daggers into Akane's heart. "Especially if it helped keep him apart from that obnoxious, sexless tomboy over there… as it should be… it really started to become so difficult to prod him that way lately, he's become so obsessed with not hurting that uncute bitch." Akane felt her anger rising at the girl's words, but at the same time the shock and fear at the girl's appearance prevented her from saying anything.

"ENOUGH!" Shingen bellowed, raising his naginata in his right hand and beginning to spin it slowly. "I'm not interested in listening to your stories, demon. Time to send you back to the hell you were spawned in!"

"If you're going to address me, boy, you might at least refer to me by a name," the redhead replied in dulcet tones. "You know, I do rather like the name he used on occasion… Ranko-chan, wasn't it? Why don't you just address me as that?"

"Doesn't matter what I call you, _Ranko-chan_ or whatever your real name is, I'm taking you out." His eyes darted to the left and right. "Nodoka-san, Akane-chan, stay back and keep Ranma off to the side."

'Ranko' stretched her arms upward and yawned before leveling a thoroughly sadistic smile at Shingen. "Try if you will, boy, you and the others are still going to die. I _will_ fulfill my purpose." She flexed her hands seductively as her fingernails lengthened, extending into six-inch razorlike talons. "Shall we dance?"

"Bring it." _This is going to be tougher than I thought…_

It started almost faster than the eye could follow. A flicker of motion and Shingen sprang forward, spinning his polearm in a massive arc. The blade smashed into the redhead's claws with a metallic clash before he spun in the opposide direction, driving the butt of the staff against her right forearm. 'Ranko' responded by grabbing the staff and pulling forward as she tried to drive her left hand into his face; Shingen twisted his body to the side, grabbed her wrist and pulled, bringing them both around in a circle and separating once again. This time, both moved at once, and for a few seconds there was a frenzy of motion as her claws and his naginata became a blur. Each time one struck, the other parried; neither seemed capable of getting a clear hit in. Suddenly Shingen thrust forward, driving the straight double-edged blade directly at Ranko's throat. The girl bent backwards effortlessly, allowing the blade to pass millimeters above her body before planting her hands and flipping back, trapping the staff of the naginata between her legs. The staff was yanked out of Shingen's hands as the girl continued her rotation, coming back to a standing position with her newly purloined weapon in her hand.

"You're quite an accomplished warrior, boy," she murmured, "but you really shouldn't hit a lady with something like thiiIIISSSS!" Her words became a scream as the hand clasped around the polearm began to smoke, forcing her to drop it and shake her fingers in anguish. A second later, Shingen lunged forward and delivered a massive side kick to her midsection, driving her into the stone wall around the house. He retrieved his weapon and circled back around.

"First lesson, demon," he said quietly. "Never try to use a Hunter's weapon. You'll find it a bit too hot to handle."

"You're quite sure of yourself, young Hunter," Ranko growled, revealing pearly white fangs as she did so. "And I believe I'll be the one to judge what's hot to handle. BURN!" The girl's hands shot forth and a flaming blast of ki erupted from her palms.

"MAKOTO TOKU!" Shingen shouted in response, jabbing his left fist forward as the runes on his glove shone brilliant gold. Ranko's fiery attack was inches away from immolating him when the flames hit a massive golden energy barrier centered on his hand. The jets of fire curved away, shooting out to either side and licking dangerously close to the Tendo household. Nodoka stared in shock while Akane flinched and pulled Ranma's limp body closer to the porch. Ranma groaned softly and twitched; his left eye opened slightly, then closed again.

"Great heavens above, is that what was inside my child?" Nodoka said, casting a disbelieving look at the redheaded hellion who was beginning to pulse with a dark red aura. "Is that what has caused him all this trouble?" Her hand flew to the grip of her katana.

Shingen glanced back briefly. "Don't get involved! Whatever happens, stay back and make sure she doesn't reach his body!" The two combatants lunged forward again, and a primal scream erupted from Ranko as she began to attack Shingen with a ferocity that had previously been absent. His naginata swept through the air in wide arcs, which she easily ducked and jumped over before striking repeatedly at his hands, chest and face. Her claws clashed several times against his weapon's staff and blade, then twice against smaller circular ki shields that erupted from the backs of his gloves. The two eventually sprang apart; Shingen drew his polearm back and bellowed as he unleashed the Sekkai Katto Sutoraiki technique, swinging the blade in an arc that sent a scythe of white light tearing across the ground. The girl ducked to the side at the last second, only losing a few hairs as the ki blade ripped a horrific gash through the back wall of the estate, causing the top few tiers of stone to drop several inches.

"You're pretty good, Hunter dog," Ranko sneered. "But I wonder how easy it will be to strike more than one opponent?" She grinned, her form blurring briefly; the next second, seven identical redheads appeared in front of Shingen and encircled him, each one extending her claws.

"Clever, demon. A maboroshi technique; you might want to stick to straight fighting." He jabbed his left hand in front of his face, extending his first and fourth fingers as his eyes took on a white glow. "KAMI NO SHISEN!" His hand swept outward and an energy wave burst forth from his eyes, causing seven Rankos to shudder and evaporate, leaving only the original. The redhead blinked in surprise, just as Shingen burst forward in a blur, shifting his naginata to his left hand and punching with his right. "JINRAI TEKKEN!" Ranko gasped as his ki-coated knuckles collided with her left hand, crushing her claws to pieces and generating a vibration that caused Akane and Nodoka to wince and hold their ears. The succubus staggered, then glared venomously at Shingen before blazing into him with a series of punches and kicks that topped any of her previous speed. The taller man dodged and blocked with wild abandon, until finally Ranko spotted an opening and drove her fist into Shingen's solar plexus. As he staggered, she delivered a front snap kick that sent his naginata flying end over end until it landed, blade-down, not two feet from where Nodoka was sitting.

Shingen staggered up, catching his breath. "So you were holding back, demon."

"Just like my host- sorry, _former_ host would do when he didn't want to hurt anyone," Ranko said quietly. "Which was more or less all the time, that pitiful fool. He didn't want to hurt anyone… me, I just enjoy playing." Fire leaped across her eyes as she strode towards the Hunter. "But now the gloves are off, boy! You BROKE my NAILS!"

With a horrific battle cry, Ranko tore into Shingen. Akane stared in shock as the taller man started to give ground, becoming more of a defensive fighter and landing fewer punches or kicks. Ranko, for her part, had turned into a raging harpy, her fists flying at incredible speeds, almost a blur… Akane gasped as she realized Ranko was executing a perfect Amaguriken technique. _Oh gods! That… that thing is using one of Ranma's… and if she knows how to do that, then she might also be able to… she might have his entire repertoire at her fingertips!_ Her thoughts were interrupted as a cry of pain rent the air; Ranko had extended her right claws for a fleeting second and ripped three gouges below Shingen's left eye. He staggered back, glared at the redhead and unleashed a barrage of throwing knives from the recesses of his jacket. The girl quickly parried the majority of them, but winced as three errant blades struck her above her breasts and in her left bicep, sending wisps of smoke into the air as the rune-engraved steel burned her flesh. She angrily swiped the offending items away, returning her attention to Shingen who had just thrust at her face with his right fist. She dodged easily, then quickly noticed it for the feint it was as his left leg snapped forward. Grappling both arms around his left shin, Ranko swung in a wide circle and lifted a startled Shingen off the ground for a brief second before releasing him; he collided with the back wall, producing an impressive indentation before sliding down to his knees. Desperately he staggered up, but before he could act Ranko grabbed him by the face and slammed the back of his head into the wall once more, knocking him half-senseless.

Turning around, the redhead gazed at the trio by the porch with a hungry eye. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes… I was just about to enjoy completing my task." She licked her lips and began to sashay forward, unhurried.

Akane's eyes widened slightly as she staggered to her feet; on the periphery of her vision she saw Nodoka doing the same thing, slowly drawing her katana. "I… I don't know what kind of a task you're trying to complete, you… you beast, but I'm not gonna let you do to Ranma what you just did to Shingen!" She spun around and grabbed the tanto off the porch, brandishing it shakily as she moved in front of Ranma's prone form. "Why? What the hell are you? And what were you trying to do with him, what do you want?"

Ranko stopped moving forward and regarded Akane with pure contempt. "You need not know more than this, whelp. I will not allow you to be with him. Whether that be achieved through your mutual hatred- and Satan knows that didn't work- or by the death of one or both of you, I will fulfill my task." Red energy began to crackle around her right forearm.

"Why? What's so important about him and me that…"

"You need not know, you disgusting tomboy." She raised her glowing hand, a playful smirk on her face. "And will never know. Burn."

Akane saw the ball of ki gather in the redhead's hand. She felt the air rushing away as the power surged forward, could almost taste the heat from ten feet away. She knew it was going to strike. It was going to strike her and Ranma at the same time, there was no time to avoid it. Tears started to flow down her face; without thinking, she whipped her forearms in front of her body and braced herself. _Great Kami, don't let it end like this! I don't want us to die before… before we've even had a chance to… we finally started opening up to each other, and now this! DON'T LET HER TAKE HIM FROM ME!_

The ki blast was practically on top of Akane… and was suddenly met by a brilliant wall of light.

Shingen shook his head, lifting his hand and staring bleary-eyed from where he had been pushed into the wall. Ranko stared, too, frozen in shock as her energy attack slammed against a wavering ki shield. The burning red energy thrashed against the barrier time and again, each time accomplishing little more than lessening its own power. It seemed almost as if the two were trying to cancel one another out… and finally succeeded. Just as the energy beat at the barrier one last time, the orange-gold wall broke and what remained of the redhead's attack collided with Akane. The short-haired girl gasped audibly as she was thrown backwards against the porch, where she collapsed in a coughing fit.

"That was… unexpected," Ranko muttered. A movement on the edge of her vision caught her attention, and she ducked to one side just as Nodoka cleaved the air between them with her katana. "I may not be capable of much, but I am a warrior's mother and will not stand idly by and let you do as you please with my son and his beloved!" she said in a stern voice, brandishing her sword with the stance of a skilled kendoist..

"You will stay out of this if you know what is good for you… _Auntie Saotome_," the demon laughed before backhanding Nodoka across the face and knocking her to the ground. That accomplished, she continued her advance on Akane and grabbed her by the top of her gi.

Shingen gritted his teeth as he struggled to get up. _Dammit… I completely underestimated that succubus' abilities. I didn't want to have to use my stronger ki attacks in a residential zone like this, even with my shield wards, but if we're gonna pull through this in one piece I guess I've got no choice…_ Just then his train of thought froze and he stared. "Masaka…"

Akane struggled weakly against Ranko's grip. The redhead glared malevolently as she brought her right arm back, extending her remaining claws. "Looks like the tigress has lost her bite," she giggled.

A sudden flash of silver passed her field of vision; her giggle rapidly became a scream as a blade impacted her left forearm, cutting through flesh and bone until the limb was severed and glowing white ichors spouted from the remaining stump of arm. Akane fell backwards, the hand on her gi falling away and crumbling into ash. Ranko, for her part, staggered backward gripping her bleeding arm in shock.

"So this is what you look like… what you _really_ look like."

The redhead blinked. Nodoka shook her head and pushed herself into a sitting position, then gasped as she saw Ranma standing unsteadily between the succubus and Akane, with Shingen's naginata clutched in his right hand. His breathing was ragged but even, and she could almost see his aura flaring around him- wavering, yet growing stronger every second. His face was a mask of determination. "Yer the one, ain't ya? The one that was inside of me, the one that turned me into a puppet an' tried to make me punch 'kane? Well I dunno what the hell is going on here, or what your deal is, but I do know that I am NOT gonna let ya hurt the two most important people in my life!" he snapped, glaring at the redhead before him.

Akane coughed, glancing up in surprise. "Ranma…"

Ranko's eyes widened slightly, then she shook herself and pressed a spot on what remained of her left arm; white light coalesced and congealed around the wound, gradually assuming a solid state. A second later, her arm had been restored. Glancing up at Ranma, she regarded him with puppy-dog eyes. "Why… why, I don't know what you're talking about, Ran-chan!" she said in a sickly sweet voice. "I'd never _use_ you or try to hurt you, not when you and I are one and the same!" She twirled on a heel and suddenly she was the perfect image of his female form, pigtail, Chinese clothes and all. Even the horns on her head had disappeared. "Don't you recognize me? I'm just another part of you… your other half, brought out against my will. I'm just as much a part of you as you're a part of me, I could never hurt you!"

Ranma paused. "Just… just a part of me?"

"Absolutely. It's me, Ranma… Ranko, not a demon or a fiend. You're just delirious right now."

His face softened slightly, and she stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "And I know you didn't really mean to hurt me, now did you? Besides, I know you'd never hurt a girl…"

Ranma stiffened. "That voice."

"Huh?"

"Dontcha dare try and trick me, I know what I sound like when I turn into a girl an' that voice ain't it!" Angrily he threw the naginata to one side and clenched his fists. "I know where I've heard that voice… I heard ya tell me to tease Akane an' make her mad at me, an' not just once, but a whole bunch o' times over last night an' this morning! An' I heard you again when that pendant fell off; you were the one screaming in my mind, forcing me ta do something I swore I'd never do! That's not part of me, an' it's nothing I'd wanna be… an' I sure as hell wouldn't call you a girl, either! I'm not fallin' for any of your mind games anymore, you… you uncute lying TRAMP!"

Ranko bristled; the illusion broke and she reappeared in her tight black clothes. "Un… Un… UNCUTE? ME?"

_Hmph. Reacts the same way I did when Tsubasa said my girl form was ugly,_ Ranma thought to himself. "Damn right yer uncute. And now you're gonna pay." He shook out his arms and assumed a loose stance.

"How dare you! And how dare you presume to think you can try and face me! I know you, Saotome, I know all your tricks; I'll have you drawn and quartered in the blink of an eye!"

"Nice thought, hentai freak," he retorted, shutting all emotion out of his voice and pulling his hands into a crouching position. "But one blink is all it takes." A quick flicker and his ki was completely suppressed, erasing his presence.

"Umisen-ken, eh? Nice try, boy, but I know how that works, so I should strike… NOW!" The redhead spun on her heel, kicking out with a reverse crescent kick through the air behind her. She grinned in expectation of her heel cracking against flesh and bone… and suddenly stared as her foot continued through meeting no resistance at all. She blinked, then suddenly gasped as Ranma's fists smashed into her ribs and shoulder blades hundreds of times in rapid succession; he had reappeared exactly where he had been before, rather than circling around.

"Looks like ya don't know what you were talkin' about, ya airheaded moron!" Ranma laughed, wobbling on his feet slightly.

_What the hell is he doing?_ Shingen thought to himself as he pulled upward into a standing position and began to circle around the wall perimeter.

Ranko shrieked in anger and sprang forward, just as Ranma did. The two grappled briefly before pulling apart and unleashing a series of violent kicks, punches and spinning backfists. Each strike met a perfectly timed counterstrike; a punch from Ranko was quickly deflected by Ranma's forearm, who subsequently whipped around and attempted a jumping spin kick that came close to cracking Ranko's own forearm. Landing, the redhead thrust her claws out once more and tried to gouge Ranma's eyes out, but he grabbed her arm, ducked in and punched upwards, flinging her at the same moment his fist ground into her solar plexus. A wave of pain shot through the redhead's gut as his fist connected, accompanied by a loud cracking sound akin to thunder. Ranko landed hard, spat angrily and lunged forward again, this time using the Amaguriken. Ranma countered, hands flying through the air in a blur, palms colliding with knuckles at breakneck speed. Suddenly Ranko's hair distended, snaking through the air as if it was alive and wrapping itself around Ranma's wrists before pulling taut. Ranko sneered, extending her claws once more as Ranma yanked at his bound hands, trying to free himself. The hair was bound fast, so thinking quickly he did the next best thing; he leaped up and thrust his legs out at the same time he pulled his arms back. The end result caused Ranko to be yanked forward into a standing dropkick that crushed the bridge of her nose and prompted her to stagger back in pain, releasing Ranma's wrists in the process.

"You… you bastard!" she bellowed, pressing on her nose and snapping the bone back into place. "How dare you insult me and mar my gorgeous face! That's it, I'm going to rip you apart right here and now!" Flames licked outward from her body as she stood up and charged.

"Yeah, just try it! I'll bet you couldn't even beat up my old man the way you bounce around, you weakling!"

"WHO'S a weakling? I'll show you!" Ranko's fury reached a crescendo as she flung herself wildly at Ranma, who had started backing up and dodging with the expertise gained from all his previous fights. Fists on fire passed dangerously close to his head and chest, but he hardly flinched, paying more attention to the pattern he was drawing the demon into.

Akane saw it first and pulled Nodoka as close to the house as possible. "Keep your head down, Auntie, this is going to get really rough!"

"What? What's going on?"

"He was insulting her for a reason… Ranma's got her trapped!" _Gods help me, you better not kill yourself to pull this off, Ranma… _

"You think I'm WEAK? HA! I'm just as strong and a whole lot faster than you, Saotome!" Ranko hollered, punching and kicking recklessly, not even bothering to notice that in her rage, her form had become sloppy. Nor the fact that the longer she chased him, the more the wind picked up. Thunder cracked across the darkening sky as Ranma evaded more and more of Ranko's attacks, narrowing the spiral with every step. Shingen stumbled to the ground, noting Akane's and Nodoka's position and fully feeling the buildup of ki that was happening before him. In seconds, only one step remained; Ranko flung herself directly at Ranma… and as she realized his ki had become ice cold, whereas she was generating pure hellfire from her fingertips, her eyes widened in pure terror. "Oh… KUSO!"

"HIRYU SHOTEN HA!" His fist jabbed upward as the ki cyclone exploded around him, snaring the redheaded demon and tearing into her body viciously. The raging wind pulled at the tree next to the koi pond, it flung loose rocks far and wide, it buffeted the ears and eyes of Akane, Nodoka and Shingen. Screams of agony rent the air above them as Ranko was slammed back and forth between opposing walls of the cyclone, the fire along her arms burning out of control and turning on its wielder. It seemed like it was going to last for an eternity… and as suddenly as it occurred, the tornado dispersed and vanished with one final wrench at the falling demon's physical form. She plummeted to the ground and collapsed in a broken heap.

Ranma lowered his extended right hand, letting out a long sigh.

Akane lifted her head up. "R-Ranma?" she stammered, before getting up and running towards him. "RANMA!" She grabbed him around the waist and hugged him tight. "You did it! You… you really did it! You stopped her…"

Ranma smirked. "Eh, wasn't that hard," he quipped, just before groaning and dropping to his knees. "Just now I gotta splitting headache…"

Akane shook her head, letting an errant tear slip down her cheek. "Still the same old Ranma, though… cocky as ever." She lowered him gently to the ground and onto her lap.

"This… isn't… over yet…"

Ranma and Akane's eyes went wide. Glancing up, they stared as the redheaded demon tried to claw herself into a standing position. "I will fulfill my purpose… I will NOT fail… I kept you apart this long, and I will keep you apart if it means everyone in this house has to die!"

She rose as far as her knees before a gloved fist impacted her back, grinding her into the ground once more. Staring upward, she caught sight of Shingen standing over her, his naginata held in both hands. "Sorry, demon, but your little game ende here and now," he said coolly, flipping the polearm over his head, hands clasped just below the blade. The blade shone white-gold as he lunged forward, plunging all 16 inches of sharpened steel into the demon's back. "TENBATSU!" An unearthly shriek ripped through the air, rivaling Ranko's earlier cries as white light exploded from her body.

_My lord… I… I have failed youuuaaaAAAAHHHHH!_

A torrent of light and sound filled the Tendo's backyard as the redheaded demon's body became amorphous, dissolving into a cloud of iridescent white particles that spun and danced in a madcap, meaningless pattern. Shingen yanked his weapon out of the ground and spun it once; the particles drew closer to each other. Another flick of the polearm and the cloud of particles burst, scattering through the air and hurtling themselves far and wide. In a matter of seconds, every last speck had vanished. There was no trace of the redhead who had been there before.

* * *

Shingen took a long breath, letting it out gratefully. "It's over." 

Akane looked up. "You mean it? That… that thing is gone for good?"

The taller man nodded. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting the one being Purged to take an active role," he said with a chuckle. "There's a lot more to this guy than I thought… a lot more."

"Yeah, well that's something ya gotta know," said Ranma, sitting up a bit too fast. "Never underestimate me; I've pulled through tougher than this an' I'm still alright. Told ya I could handle… the… pain…" His eyes crossed and he collapsed into Akane's lap again, dizziness written all over his face.

Akane giggled. "Baka," she whispered, brushing a hand over his forehead. "Stop pushing yourself and just rest." She looked up. "Is he really going to be okay now?"

"We'll have to wait and find out, Akane-chan. I'll have to examine his aura, but I have a feeling he won't be hearing that voice in his head anymore."

"Thank the kami for that," said Nodoka as she joined them. She gazed down at Ranma's exhausted face and smiled. _My son… my handsome son, I had no idea how strong you've truly become!_

"We should probably get him inside the house and get him to bed," said Shingen. He leaned down and grasped one of Ranma's shoulders; Akane grasped the other and they began to lead him back towards the shoji doors. _Unbelievable,_ Shingen was thinking to himself. _I had expected his ki to be at rock bottom once the Purge was completed; he shouldn't have been able to stand, much less fight that thing as effectively as he did. And that ki cyclone technique he used… definitely not something I remember from our training scrolls. But that one punch of his, when he threw that demon over his head… I can't be sure, but it looked almost exactly like the Jinrai Tekken… but that doesn't make any sense, how could a man learn a technique just from being struck once by it himself? And for that matter, that technique is…_

He frowned, glancing at Ranma's limp body and Akane's face just beyond. _I may have to examine his aura a little closer once we're indoors. And Akane's aura as well; there's something about it I can't quite place yet. It might have something to do with the way that demon kept talking about them; why would it be so crucial that these two be kept apart? I don't like the way that sounded…_

None of them really noticed the light rain that had started as they approached the house, much less the fact that Ranma remained male despite the rainfall.

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's note: Good gravy, this turned into my longest chapter ever. I thought briefly about splitting it into two chapters but couldn't see myself doing that. As it is, I was mulling the entire scenario over in my head since I began writing this, but actually writing it turned into a big headache. I only hope it isn't too disorganized. And now, the new moves. 

_Makoto Toku:_ Faith Shield. Essentially a ki shield that can either be generated from within or bound to worn objects. The pentagram wards on Shingen's gloves contain minor versions of the Faith Shield; by consciously focusing on the technique a much stronger and larger shield is produced.

_Kami no Shisen:_ Eyes of God(or literally, Eyes of the Kami). A Hunter illusion-breaker ability that exposes that which is not real, or brings out that which does not wish to be seen.

_Tenbatsu:_ Heaven's Punishment. A weapon strike that channels positive energy into a negatively focused opponent(such as a demon), burning it from the inside out and typically destroying it.

If you'd like a translation of the words used in the Purge or some of the other Japanese words used herein, they will be posted at the beginning of the next installment.

Some of you might have noticed Nodoka didn't say she was a warrior's wife as she has said before in the manga. Yes, that was deliberate on my part, and no, don't expect a panda-skin rug in the next chapter. Nodoka may care for Genma very deeply, but after events in the earlier chapters of this story and in the manga, if she _wasn't_ upset with the way he has behaved then hell has frozen over. What she said was merely a slight jab at the old man, as well as a suggestion as to who the real warrior in the Saotome family is.

Wonderbee31: Yes, Happi is a jackass, though it may be a while before he is sufficiently punished. Thanks for your continued support.

Luna12: Glad you liked the Greek bit; Kuno can't always misquote Shakespeare after all. Yes, you are right in that Akane does have a soft spot for people in need. Her temper just overrode it for a short while; remember, she just found out she'd been more or less sleeping with Ryoga for a number of months without ever knowing. Still, your point is taken.

Lordrosse: Thanks for the compliment on my writing. As for curing Ranma of his curse… you'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out the full effect of the Spirit Purge. Perhaps it did or didn't work entirely as intended. (Insert evil author laugh here)

The-shadow002: Hope you enjoyed the method of the Purge and the aftermath thereof. I worked like CRAZY to figure out the details.

A: I may try to get around to some seldom looked-at things later on, depending on how the story evolves. I already have the plot more or less figured out, and it's gonna be a long one. It might be a tiny bit longer before the lost boy reappears, but rest assured fireworks are gonna fly.

Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews this; I thrive on your reviews. Next chapter: the aftermath. The demon that was purged is gone, but is Ranma fully cured of his curse or not? What's the big deal about keeping him and Akane apart? And just what have Ukyo or Ryoga been up to all this time? Stay tuned. -Neon Ronin

Update 3/11/05: Corrected misplacement of Japanese terms.


	13. Aftershocks

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Thank you for your feedback and reviews; I guess it means I'm doing something right. And now, a few translations not included at the end of Chapter 12.

Shingen's Spirit Purge invokes the names of six elements- Earth or Ground(daichi), Air(tenkuu), Water(mizu), Fire(Kaji), Darkness(kurayami), and Light(hikari). The final invocation at the completion of the Purge translates as Exile or Banishment(tsuihou). These translations were provided via an online English to Japanese translator website; I myself do not know fluent Japanese so if I screw up here and there please forgive me. Martial arts translations are courtesy of The Shadows, one of my first reviewers, check his work out if you have the time. And now, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 13: Aftershocks

-

_Where… where am I?_

Ranma felt weightless, almost as if he was floating in cool water. His eyelids parted. There was nothing recognizable in front of him. Or above, below or behind. It even looked like he was surrounded by water; everything was a uniform shade of aquamarine. There was no light filtering in from above, though, nor did he have difficulty breathing. _Must be a dream,_ he thought, glancing down at himself. He seemed to be dressed in his tank top and boxers, and his body was still male.

_What happened? Did I pass out or something?_

He twisted around to get a better look at his surroundings, but there was nothing. Just blue as far as the eye could see. He had a strange sensation of his body moving downwards.

_I don't get it…_

He breathed evenly, trying to recount what had just transpired. He remembered pinpricks of fire all over his body, rapidly becoming a blaze which threatened to boil his blood. He remembered a twisting, tearing sensation as wave after wave of ki coursed through his body, seeming to last for hours before coming to a halt. Then the shouts, the clash of steel on bone, fists on flesh… a sudden wave of fear that had crashed over him. But it wasn't just his own fear… it felt like Akane was screaming, even though he didn't actually hear her scream. The words kept rolling over and over, _"DON'T LET HER TAKE HIM FROM ME…"_

_That's right… that thing that was inside my body. It was fighting back… it wanted to take control again, or kill one or both of us. And it might have, too… took everything I had to get up and face that hellspawn. Felt like my whole body was on fire again… but if I didn't do somethin', then Akane… my Mom… maybe more…_

The light around him was beginning to darken. He glanced around again, noting for the first time that he was actually feeling cold.

_No… no, it's not cold. It's more like… like…_

He blinked. "Like there's something that should be here, but isn't," he said aloud, the words echoing around him. The light darkened still, becoming more of a bluish-purple, but then something changed. Random patches of white light began to flare up briefly, like borderless globes of light. Ranma twisted around, trying to get a clear look at the lights; his eyes widened as he noticed each orb held a faint image. Images of himself, both in male and female form. Arguments with Akane, usually ending with a slap or a mallet. Kuno, pursuing him to either smite or date him. Shampoo glomping him as he struggled to free himself. Dozens of other images of his rivals and fiancées, some more painful than the others… and then, images of happier times. Again, some contained him as a man, others as a girl. There weren't very many pleasant images, but a good number of them shared a similar aspect. Akane's smile.

Then the images were gone, winking out of existence as the shades around him descended to deep purple.

He shuddered. _Am I looking at myself from the inside out? Is this… is this the part of me that the curse spirit was lurking in? Is that why it's so dark… so empty? Was this thing trying to rot me from the inside out… or was it hiding itself in here and now I'm supposed to fill in the gap? Geez, I dunno what this is all about…_

A sudden brighter light winked into existence before him, a bluish-white light about the size of a baseball, shaped like a teardrop.

_What the…_ The ambient light stopped getting darker as Ranma's descent stopped.

**_It is yours now._**

Ranma's head whipped around. "Who's there?" he shouted into the darkness. Moments passed by. Nobody answered. The light stayed in front of him, shimmering like a candle flame.

_What am I supposed to do with this thing?_

He peered into the depths of the light, trying to make out a shape of some sort. There wasn't any; the entire ball of light seemed to be in constant motion. Gingerly he stretched a hand out. The light moved closer.

_Am I supposed to take the light? Refuse it? What do I do with it?_

**_Do with it what you will. The seducer, the controller, no longer has a hand on it. It is yours… no, ours… if you want it._**

Ranma stared as the light wafted into his outstretched palm and began to grow smaller. It drew together, growing brighter still and gradually congealing into a sliver of light half a foot long and as wide as two of his fingers. One end flared out and split, its ends snaking around until they rejoined; the other end swelled and thrust out several luminescent protuberances. Ranma blinked as he realized the ball of light had turned itself into a glowing blue key.

A sudden flare of more blue light in front of him caught his eye. He looked up and stared, open-mouthed at the sight of what appeared to be, for all intents and purposes, a transparent blue crystal casket. It stood on one end and seemed to ripple and undulate as if made of living glass… or water. It looked to be just a little bigger than Ranma himself, and he could plainly see a keyhole placed dead center on the lid of the casket. For a moment or two he just stared in silence.

_Did… did that demon lock something away?_ he wondered. _Is that why everything's so dark, because that redheaded bitch took something from me?_ His mind racing, he pushed towards the casket, hoping to find something to give him a clue. As he got closer, a shadow became visible inside the locked coffin. The key began to scintillate with a white light, as did the coffin… and suddenly he gasped.

He was staring at himself… a shorter, red-haired, female version of himself, clad in a tank top and shorts.

_Is… is that… my other form?_

**_She sealed a part of you away when she bound herself to you… to us…_** Ranma blinked as he realized the girl in the casket had opened her eyes and was looking right at him.

"What are… what are you? Are you some part of the demon that got left over or something?"

**_I am no part of what was here. Only part of you…_** Ranma's eyes widened as he looked closer. The girl within the casket was crying. **_You don't have to do anything if you don't want to…_** Her words were laced with pure sorrow; she stared through the casket walls with eyes that seemed to beg forgiveness. He felt an ache in his heart, an overwhelming wave of empathy for this strange person who had appeared out of nowhere. There wasn't any malice about her, none of the attitude he remembered from the succubus. _Part of… of me?_ He stared at her for a long time, putting his left hand against the crystal lid holding her within. He saw her hand rise, pressing against the other side, matching the outline of his own hand. Her lips moved, mouthing a silent plea. Silent as it was, he still thought he heard something.

**_Please don't hate me…_**

Ranma couldn't tell what it was about her. Maybe it was the fact that he'd dealt with assuming the exact same body for more than a year every time he got soaked. Maybe it was in her eyes- steel blue, like his own eyes. It could very easily have been the position she was in, or the look on her face. All he knew was a sudden need to know. Was this something produced by the cursed spring, or something else? Something he'd been hiding… maybe pushed to the side by the curse or who knows what?

He felt his right hand rising. He saw the key in his fingers approach the lock. _I don't know what this is all about, but I can't just pass over something like this. I want to know more… and I… I can't leave her in here. Gods, I feel like I wanna cry myself just looking at her… _

The key turned in the lock. The light within the casket intensified as the lid cracked and split. Ranma stared in awe… and suddenly he knew. He didn't know how, or why, but he knew.

* * *

"I'm not quite sure what he just went through, but it looks like he's had quite a hard time. Physically he seems okay, pulse steady, but his aura looks to be in rough shape." 

"Indeed, sonny, but it seems he's well on the way to recovery already. In my long years, I've met few people with the resiliency and toughness of young Ranma here."

Dr. Tofu nodded, pressing several therapeutic pressure points on Ranma's forehead. They were in his bedroom, Ranma lying face up on his futon, covered from the waist down by a thin blanket. The doctor was on one side of him, Cologne on the other. Nodoka and Shingen stood near the doorway. "I'm still a little curious as to what exactly happened, all I know is that Tendo-san called the clinic in a panic, something about all hell breaking loose in his backyard."

"That's just about what happened," said Akane from where she sat by Ranma's knees. "I don't think any of us expected his curse treatment to turn out the way it did."

"Curse treatment?" Tofu asked, blinking. "You mean his Jusenkyo curse?"

"Indeed," said Cologne, casting a trained eye over Ranma's unconscious body, focusing on his aura. "The fellow over there in the leather jacket apparently knew something about the springs that even I was not aware of, and set his mind to do something about it." She looked up. "I must say, I wasn't expecting to hear about the results of your treatment for a while longer yet, young man. Though I certainly saw the results clear as day; do you know that ki pillar that erupted from the backyard could be seen all the way down at the Neko Hanten?"

"I suspected as much when you turned up, Honored Elder," Shingen replied with a smirk. "Unless Tendo-san phoned you at the same time he phoned the good doctor here."

The door to the room slid open and Shampoo slipped in quietly. Akane looked up, grimacing for a second before noticing the look of timidity on the purple-haired girl's face, something she never thought she'd see in her life. It brought back fresh memories of their earlier confrontation, how distraught she had been then, and Akane's expression softened quickly.

"Is Ranma ok?" she asked, kneeling next to Akane.

"I think so; it wasn't a very pleasant experience, but I'm pretty sure he's going to be alright," Akane said, looking up at his sleeping face. A slight smile flickered across his lips, prompting her to smile as well. _I hope you won't have to deal with that voice anymore…_

"Shampoo glad. Great-grandmother tell what wrong with Ranma… that spring make Ranma feel bad things. That maybe other springs do same… " She looked up into Akane's eyes, contrition plastered across her face- with a hint of fear. "Is… Is Akane still mad about this morning?"

Akane blinked, then shook her head. "No… not really. I guess I probably would've reacted the way you did if someone tried to take him away from me… well, maybe not quite the same, but I might have reacted nonetheless." She reached over and took Shampoo's hand in her own. "I'm not saying I'm not still upset about what happened. But I'm not mad at you."

Shampoo nodded. "Please… Akane forgive Shampoo for stupid mistake?"

Akane paused a moment, then smiled, giving her hand a squeeze. "Sure. I'm pretty tired of all this bad blood anyway. Truce?" The Chinese girl nodded, but before she could respond there was a terrific cacophony in the hall outside.

"Shampoo, I've been looking all over the house for you! Is it true, did Saotome manage to dispel his curse?" A loud whack echoed in the corridor, accompanied by the sound of Mousse groaning and staggering back and forth.

"Watch the hands, buddy," growled the unmistakable Ice Queen tone of Nabiki. A second later, her head poked into the room. "Somebody better take the walking weapon rack and put him someplace he won't cause any damage. That's three times so far he thought he was talking to someone else, and the second time he's tried to hug me." Shampoo groaned, quickly excusing herself so that she could drag the blind half-duck downstairs; Nabiki turned her attention back to the room. "So, how's your little party going?"

"I'd hardly call this a party, Nabiki-chan," said Shingen from his post at the door. "The Elder, the doctor and myself just wanted to be sure he's in stable condition. We've been examining his aura for some time now."

Dr. Tofu nodded, adjusting his glasses. "There do appear to be a few irregularities, but he seems to be recovering well. Of course, I never really examined him closely enough to note the effect of his curse, so I wouldn't be sure of what to look for. I think it might be a good idea for him to stay home from school tomorrow, just to make sure there aren't any lasting effects."

"Well, when you're done ogling him in his sleep, you might as well come down and join us for dinner. Kasumi really outdid herself tonight."

"Ka… Kasumi?" Tofu stammered, glasses glazing over almost instantly. "Well, what a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting her to be here, of all places…" Nabiki quickly grabbed the lovestruck doctor and dragged him out of the room, flashing a sly grin at Akane and Nodoka as she did so. Akane shot Nabiki a dirty look. Nodoka just shook her head.

"Hmmmm… yes, this is most encouraging," said Cologne, prompting the others to glance in her direction. "Ranma's aura appears to be a bit weak, but stable. I can't see any evidence of outside influence, or any of the spirit binds I've noticed in Shampoo or Mousse. From everything I've been able to see, it would appear his curse has been lifted."

Akane gasped. "It worked? It really, truly worked?"

"Not quite."

Everyone's head whipped around and stared at Shingen, who took a few steps forward and knelt next to Ranma's body.

"There's something about his aura that doesn't look right."

Cologne stared. "I beg your pardon?"

"Your forgiveness, Elder, but you're not seeing his aura through a Hunter's eyes. You're seeing it the way you've trained to see, and while you undoubtedly see much, there are certain telltale signs that my bloodline knows to look for. I've been fighting these beasts for a long time; it's almost second nature to me."

Akane's face fell. "Are you saying there's still something wrong with him? I thought that Spirit Purge of yours was supposed to take care of his problem! If the curse was because of that demon inside him, once she went up in smoke he should've been okay, right?"

"Theoretically, yes, the Purge should have cleansed his aura and removed all trace of the infection. However…"

"What do you mean, theoretically?" asked Nodoka calmly, but with a hint of ice.

"I've only ever performed the Spirit Purge on inanimate objects before, not anything that was living," said Shingen. "But please, listen to me. For all intents and purposes, the ritual did do what it was intended for; I've been examining his aura since before the doctor and the Elder, and the infection has dissipated. I haven't been able to see any trace of demonic energy within him, and the disruptions in his mental patterns appear to have subsided as well."

Akane blinked. "So what's the problem?"

"Something was left behind." He rested a hand on Ranma's forehead and concentrated. "The transformation aspect… it's still a part of his energy patterns."

"What?"

"Please, let me finish, Akane." He stood up, turning so he could look at both Akane and Nodoka at the same time. "Under normal circumstances, it should have been expelled from his body along with the infestation that caused it. I performed that ritual letter-perfect; there were no interruptions, no fluctuations in ki, no slip-ups whatsoever. Both of you saw the demon emerge, you saw it fall. The fact that I underestimated the succubus' power aside, everything went like clockwork. So how do we explain the fact that a transformational wave pattern is still present in his aura? Especially when it doesn't appear to have the same sort of spirit bindings that would suggest a curse-demon's presence? You said so yourself, Elder Cologne, those bindings aren't present in his aura."

Cologne nodded, a look of concern crossing her face. "Yes, that's true, but if that is the case… then something must have happened before this ritual of yours, something that might have engrained the pattern into his aura." She peered at Ranma much closer than before, and her eyes widened. "Yes… yes, I think I see what you mean; the pattern is still there. But what could have bound it to him like this…"

"Could it have to do with how often he transformed?" Nodoka asked, remembering the number of times she had encountered 'Ranko and Mr. Panda', and silently cursing the fear that had prompted him to hide in that manner.

"That might have something to do with it, Nodoka-san," Shingen replied. "It's also possible that it was because of interference by another form of magic; didn't he say something about getting locked into his cursed form?"

Akane paled. "That was back when that fiasco with Herb happened," she said quietly.

Cologne gasped. "The Chisuitton water… that's right, he was bound in his other form and couldn't change back without the power of the Kaisufuu." _Great spirits above, can't anything go right for this boy? Curse that damnable Musk prince!_

"Then it's possible the transformation pattern somehow got embedded into him during that period," Shingen continued. "However, this is all just hypothesis; however it happened, the point is his alternate form still appears to be a part of him. The demon that introduced and brought out the metamorphosis, on the other hand, is not."

"So you're saying my son still has to put up with changing forms against his will, even after removing the cause of it all?" Nodoka asked in a shaky voice, moving to sit beside him opposite Akane.

"No, that isn't what I'm saying, Nodoka-san. I'm saying that the presence that would have eventually affected his mind has been dispelled, and with it, the trigger for inducing the change." He took a deep breath. "The disruption in his aura was what caused him to morph at the touch of cold water. That disruption was induced by the presence of that thing I purged from him not long ago. It's gone. The disruption is gone. That means there is no external trigger remaining."

There was a long pause as three women looked at Shingen carefully. Nodoka pursed her lips in thought. Cologne tapped her cane, a slow smile beginning to emerge on her face. Akane looked confused.

"No external trigger?" Akane asked. "Wait, hold on a moment, what does all this mean?"

"It means I'm in control…"

Akane's and Nodoka's eyes widened at the hoarse voice that reached their ears. Turning their heads, they saw Ranma leaning up slightly, his eyes bloodshot but a small smirk on his face.

"Ranma?" Akane said softly. "Are you okay?"

He looked at her, nodding his head almost imperceptibly. "Feels like I got hit by a truck though…"

"Looks like it a little, sonny," Cologne chuckled. "I heard you got into a bit of a scrape this evening."

"Yeah… had ta pick a fight with something that was using my brain for batting practice." He laughed slightly, wincing as he did so. "How long was I out?"

"Almost an hour, my friend," said Shingen as he crossed the room and knelt near Ranma's head. "Looks like the fight finally got to you."

"Eh, wasn't that big a deal." Ranma paused, then looked at everyone a bit more seriously. "I heard what you were saying… an' I'm not sure, but I think I heard Doc Tofu in here earlier."

"Yeah, he just went downstairs with Nabiki," said Akane. She looked at him, pressing her fingers together awkwardly. "So… you heard us talking about the curse…"

"I did."

"I wasn't expecting it to turn out this way," said Shingen. "I'm sorry, that Purge should have got everything that was affecting your aura…"

"Shingen… it ain't that big a deal." Ranma brought himself slowly onto his elbows with a grunt. "I sorta knew about it even before I heard ya talking. I'm not real sure if it was some kinda dream, or whatever… but I think I've figured it out." He took a deep breath. "I was never in control of it before; it was the spirit or whatever it was that made me into a water magnet. It wouldn't let me have any say in the matter, no chance to decide for myself if I was going to change or not. But now it's gone. It doesn't have any say over what form I take.

"I still don't have a damn clue why part of it stayed behind… other than at some point or another, I guess I subconsciously stopped caring. It's not like I wanted another body, or that I liked bein' a girl, it was just _there._ Just another part of me to come to terms with. Who knows, maybe it even has somethin' to do with that whole weird Yin-Yang philosophy, 'bout how everyone has both a male an' female side to them, I dunno. Never understood that concept anyway… all I do know is before, I couldn't deal with it. And now I can."

Nodoka blinked. "What do you mean, Ranma?"

Ranma sat up a bit more, then hesitated. "I… I'll try and show ya, Mom, but promise me first that you won't think any less of me for what I'm about to do."

Her eyes widened for a moment before she nodded in agreement. "Of course, son. Please, show me." _Great Kami, even now he's still afraid of my disapproval…_ Her trail of thought rapidly ground to a halt in reaction to what she saw next. Ranma pulled on his tank top and closed his eyes for a moment; a ruddy orange glow enveloped his body, and before the eyes of everyone in the room, his body shimmered and distorted, re-molding itself into the form of a short red-haired girl. There was an audible gasp as he- now she- glanced around for a few seconds, then repeated the process in reverse. Black hair quickly replaced red and he breathed deeply.

"That's what I mean. It's not really a curse anymore… just a part of me. Somethin' I can do. I'm in control now."

Cologne's grin widened. "I'd begun to suspect this might have happened when he said the trigger was gone. You may not be completely rid of your other body, but now you can shift at will! My word, I haven't seen something like this in at least two hundred years!"

Shingen folded his arms and nodded. "At the very least, you shouldn't have to worry about changing against your will or getting assaulted by the infection anymore. That's the important thing." _Strange… when I called him a shapeshifter during our first meeting, I didn't expect it to actually ring true!_

"Yeah, and now you won't have to worry about getting splashed in public, or not being able to get hot water," added Akane with a smile of her own. Just then a loud clatter echoed from downstairs, followed by an incessant quacking sound.

"Oh, good heavens, what has that boy gone and done now?" Cologne grumbled. "I'm sorry, as much as I'd like to stay I think I'd better make sure he isn't causing a ruckus downstairs. Shampoo might be able to catch him, but gods know that blind fool can wiggle out of tighter grips."

"I think I'll join you, Elder; I might as well check their auras while they're here, make sure their own infections haven't spread since I saw them earlier," said Shingen. Cologne pogoed out of the room; Shingen nodded to the others before heading out himself.

A moment passed before any of the three remaining occupants said anything.

"I know it ain't exactly the kind of cure you were hoping for, but…" Ranma started to say in a low voice, but was cut off by Nodoka clasping his hand and looking at him with moist eyes.

"Son, it doesn't matter to me what kind of cure this was. It never mattered to me; the person it should have mattered the most to is you. And don't you dare think that I would think any less of you because of your condition; it's the person inside that matters the most to me, not what's outside. I only wish I could have told you that so much sooner… and I wish you hadn't had to fear meeting me when you were first cursed. I'm so sorry, Ranma…" She drew him into a hug, which he quickly returned. "I'm sorry I ever doubted your masculinity… and I'm sorry that damnable contract made you feel like you had to hide from me."

"I… I just didn't think you could bear having a son who… who was both a guy and a girl… I thought I'd be lettin' ya down…"

"Don't say that, son, and please don't ever think that. Even if you hadn't turned out the way you have, you're my only child and I love you with all my heart. I could never truly bring myself to harm you; I only agreed to that contract because I thought it would keep your father in line… and also to give myself hope that I would see you again someday." She wiped an errant tear away with her sleeve.

"You don't have to apologize for what's happened, Ranma. It wouldn't even matter to me if you couldn't control it; you are who you are inside, and who you are is my son… my son who has become so much more than I could ever hope for. Who you are on the outside… it just doesn't matter."

"That goes for me too, you know," Akane added as she edged closer to him, wincing slightly from the bruises she'd received in the fight. "I told you as much a bunch of times, Ranma… besides, I guess you really wouldn't be you without your girl half." She giggled, prompting a smirk and then laughter from both Ranma and Nodoka.

"Yeah, well now I got an easier way ta cope with the whole shebang," Ranma replied. "Not really sure if I'm gonna do anything with it… but at least I'm not hearin' that damn voice in my head. That's what really scared me the most, that I was gonna lose it completely… maybe wind up hurtin' a bunch of people I didn't want to." He looked up at them both. "I guess that's all that really mattered, not whether or not I was still stuck with this."

Nodoka smiled. "I don't know if I have the words to tell you how proud I am, son. I've seen more tonight than I ever could have imagined; I can't even begin to think what else you may have faced." She slipped a hand inside her kimono.

"Mom? What're you doing?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago," she replied in a voice verging on tears. Ranma's eyes widened, as did Akane's, as Nodoka withdrew her copy of the seppuku contract from inside her kimono. Both watched in silence as she glared at the folded paper in her hands, then carefully and deliberately tore it to pieces. "Do what you want with what's left; burn it, throw it away, anything. I never want to see it again; I wish I'd never signed it in the first place. And please, son… never forget that I love you, and that nothing you do could ever change that. You truly have become a man among men…" Tears fell freely as she drew Ranma back into her embrace.

"I'm sorry I stayed away so long, mom," Ranma choked, tears of his own beginning to fall. "I love you too… always have…" The two clung to each other just as tightly as they had when they were first reunited, and it wasn't long before Akane was drawn into the hug as well, adding her own tears to the mix. Ranma didn't even bother to remember his old axiom, _guys don't cry,_ and Nodoka didn't seem to notice or care.

_They really needed this, _Akane thought to herself, smiling as she felt Ranma's left arm wrap around her shoulder._ Hell, I think we all needed this. Gods, we've put up with so much badness up until now, it's about time something good started to come of this. I never thought Auntie Nodoka would tear that thing up before Ranma and I were married… then again, there's so many things I never thought a few days ago. We finally admitted what we mean to each other, his curse got turned into something manageable- even if I can't for the life of me figure out how- and the Amazons are off our worry list, too!_ She snuggled closer to her fiancé, realizing that this was probably the happiest she'd ever felt since she and Ranma had first become engaged._ It's not over yet by a long shot, I know… but you're right, Ranma. It's gonna be alright._

They might have stayed in their embrace for the better part of the evening if Ranma's stomach hadn't growled. Each of them opened their eyes, smirked, and started laughing again.

"Um… sorry 'bout that," Ranma said sheepishly. "Kinda killed the mood there…"

Akane shook her head, smiling. "It's okay; I think we could all use a little something right now." Her own stomach growled in response, prompting a blush and some more laughter. "Do you think you can make it downstairs, or do you want to eat up here?"

Ranma pushed himself out from under the covers. "I'm not so wiped out; I think I can make it to the dinner table," he chuckled as he staggered to his feet. Two seconds later, his knees gave out and he found himself being held up by Akane and his mother.

"Um… well, maybe I could use a little help standing…"

Akane giggled. "Come on, dummy, let's go join the others." He nodded, and the three of them shuffled their way out into the upstairs hall. Downstairs, they could just make out the sounds of dinner about to be served, accompanied by the occasional quack or the growl of a panda. Thankfully, there were no cat's meows echoing up the stairs; apparently one person had managed to avoid the water jug Mousse had knocked over.

* * *

That same night at Ucchan's was not a happy one. The doors were shut tight, and a large red 'closed' sign was prominently displayed. The grill was cold, and had been for the better part of the day. Every once in a while someone would come up to the doors and knock, hoping someone might answer and explain why the restaurant wasn't open for business, and hadn't been since noon the previous day. Nobody ever answered. 

Ukyo sat on the floor, her back against the wall with her chin resting on her knees. Nearby, several chairs had been overturned, but no furniture was actually broken. Her gaze passed over the main dining area, stopping on one part of the wall that was bristling with several dozen of her mini throwing spatulas. If one had been in the room and looked, they would have seen two photographs pinned to the wall, with at least six spatulas embedded in each one. The faces in each photo were gouged to the extent that neither one was recognizable unless someone removed the spatulas and took a closer look. One would also have noticed that Ukyo's eyes were puffy and red, a natural reaction to the tears she had shed that day.

"I'm a fool…" she whispered, letting go of her knees and standing up; she grabbed the nearest table as her feet decided they didn't want to work properly. "I've wrecked everything. What was I thinking? I could've really hurt someone with those stupid okonomiyaki bombs, and I went and used 'em anyway… and for what? To make Ranchan mine alone by force?" A fresh tear ran down her face. "Is… is that really what I've been doing this whole time… who am I kidding, of course that's what I was doing. I tried charm, that didn't work… I tried my cooking skills, that didn't work… I even tried plotting with the others, gods know that didn't work!" She stared at the table as his words rang in her mind again. _Love is not a friggin' dog collar, like you seem to think. It's something you give, not something you take by force…_

"Yeah… and there I was, trying to push him one way instead of just letting it happen. And… and it wasn't going to happen, either. He never saw me as anything more than a friend, didn't get flustered when Tsubasa made advances on me, or Konatsu either." She shook her head, remembering how she had just ejected Tsubasa forcefully that morning, mailbox disguise and all, before setting off to find Ranma and try to clear the air. Konatsu had wandered off somewhere after Ukyo had begged him to leave her be for the day.

"All you were was a friend, weren't you Ranchan? You didn't know about our dads' arrangement, hell you didn't even know I was a girl… and when you did find out, you didn't want to hurt me or drive me off… and I… I…" She glared up at the wall covered in spatulas, then stomped over and began ripping the weapons off the wall. Metal clattered to the ground in waves before she reached her targets- a photo of Genma, and one of her own father.

"This is all your fault!" she screamed at the pictures. "Ten years… ten whole years of my life wasted because of some stupid deal you two made!" She grabbed the ragged photo of Genma and crumpled it to pieces. "All you cared about was scamming my old man and making off with the yatai, didn't you? You didn't care about me, you didn't care about my friendship with Ranchan, all you cared about was your damn appetite! And you had the gall to put the blame on his shoulders; we were just six years old, we didn't know what the hell was going on!" She dropped the photo and grabbed the other one, of her father. "And you… you… you never really wanted me in the first place, did you? Naming me with a boy's name, dressing me like one, putting me through training hell after they left… all you cared about was our damn family honor. You stole my childhood from me, dad! You never gave me a chance to think about anything else except revenge, the blood feud! Well, look where it got me! I tried my damnedest, and not only have I lost Ranma as a fiancé, I may have lost him as a friend too! Is that what you wanted? Huh? IS IT, DAD?"

She collapsed to her knees in the middle of the restaurant, her hands shaking as she crushed the photo.

"I knew it all along, too… I knew how much he felt for Akane, even if I didn't understand it. Anyone could've seen it… I just never accepted it." She drew in a long, sobbing breath. "Lost the fight before I even started… and for what? Honor? Your approval, dad? Reassurance that I wasn't someone you never wanted in the first place?"

She took another breath, wiping her eyes and staggering back to her feet.

"Fine. I don't care anymore. You want to care more about a blood feud than your own family, then to hell with you, dad. I don't need you. I've got my own business now, my own life. I don't need your consent or approval to run my own life from now on! Disown me if you want, I'm not gonna turn into a monster!" Ukyo crumpled what remained of the photo into pieces before striding across the dining area and into the kitchen. Once there, she barged up the stairs to her tiny apartment and collapsed on her bed, sobbing into her pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Ranchan… please don't hate me… I don't want to be alone, I still want to be your friend… you're the only one I've got left now. It's not your fault, it's my fault… too blind to see what was there all along… too stupid to be happy with what we had… I'm sorry…"

* * *

As night fell, the residents of the Tendo household gradually began to feel the need for sleep. The afternoon's activities had begun to seriously take their toll on both Ranma and Akane, and they were in dire need of a good night's rest. Cologne and Shingen talked for some time on some additional suppression techniques in the event that Shampoo's curse began to override her, or Mousse's overcame him. Both were in agreement that wherever Ryoga was, they needed to find him as soon as possible, and Cologne promised to look into divination techniques once the sun was up. Shampoo wished everybody good night, apologizing once again to Akane before leaving; Mousse did likewise, only once mistaking a lamp for somebody else. Dr. Tofu, to everyone's amazement, had become rather lucid and sensible halfway through dinner and wished everybody a gracious good night- not freezing up even once when Kasumi wished him a good evening and kissed him on the cheek politely. 

"Pressure point," Cologne had whispered to Ranma and Akane. "Poor doctor didn't even know he suffers from love-induced hysterical blindness; when he found out, he asked if I had a remedy. It's only a temporary fix, mind you, until he overcomes his nervousness naturally." Both of them had nodded and smiled inwardly. Before long, everything was more or less back to normal- with the exception of the ten minute celebration Genma had thrown, drinking himself silly and singing, "It works! It works! No more Mr. Panda for me!" Nabiki had promptly groaned and disappeared into her room to do her homework. Kasumi and Nodoka set about cleaning up after dinner- once they had ordered an exhausted Ranma back to bed and found a cold pack for some of Akane's larger bruises. Both of them were quite happy that Dr. Tofu had written a note excusing both of them from school the next day; neither one was in the mood to do homework and Ranma was still having trouble staying on his feet. No one, however, could shake the smile off of his face.

In one room, Shingen sat quietly as he drew a calligraphy brush over a new roll of parchment.

_So there is a possibility for a lingering effect to remain once the Purge is complete,_ he thought. _I still don't know what caused it, but at the very least he seems to be accepting it well. Perhaps living with it as long as he did gave him a chance to cope, even if he's not overly fond of it._ He smirked as he recalled something Ranma had said privately over dinner- something about incorporating it into his fighting style. While obviously not a fan of remaining in a female body, his other form was smaller and faster, and if he could now control his transformation, he could adapt to whatever the situation required, be it strength or speed. Its potential for confusing opponents was high as well, not to mention the potential for slipping or breaking out of bonds or ropes.

"_Think maybe I can call it the Anything Goes Metamorphosis Technique,"_ he had quipped.

_He'd probably be the only one able to use that technique,_ Shingen thought. The brush continued to move across the parchment.

_There's still something else, though. But it's too soon to tell just yet. I'll have to watch both of them very closely from now on; until I'm certain, I can't tell either him or Akane about the other thing I noticed. If it is what I think it is, however, then this could be beyond anything they were ever expecting… or anything I had expected. Still, it was just a brief flicker in their auras. Possibly just a coincidence._

_Then again… I can't deny what I saw them both do in that battle._

_Those were things you can't just learn. If he really pulled off the Jinrai Tekken, and she manifested the Makoto Toku…_

_I'd best inform Father of this at once._

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's note 2/18/05: While I did mention at the end of last chapter that Ryoga's condition would be mentioned, I'm afraid I was unable to make good on it herein. Believe me, we will be getting back to the lost boy shortly, it's just taken a lot more time than I thought it would. Thank you so much for all your support; 13 reviews on chapter 12 alone! You've made this humble author very happy. 

Wonderbee31: All will be revealed in time, my friend. Something wanted Ranma and Akane apart, but who and why may still be unclear for a while longer. Hints will be forthcoming, never fear.

Luna12: Thank you, and thanks for the note on honorifics; in truth, Shingen may look about as old as Kuno or Shinnosuke, but he's actually older- and has spent most of his life fighting otherworldly creatures. I felt this might give him a weathered attitude, hence the use of 'chan' as if he were an older brother or something. I'll try to tone it down a bit to avoid future mistakes.

Batanga, Lerris, ShPhoenix: Thanks go out to each of you; I'm glad you like my work.

A: Thanks, I'm trying to get better as I go along. Akane's anger at Ryoga is one of her knee-jerk things, but give her time and she'll relent; she reacted the same way around Ranma a bunch of times. I promise, I won't forget the others, and I hope the way I dealt with the curse still lingering isn't too hackneyed. Yes, it's now under his control, but something could always crop up later… or not… you'll just have to wait and see.

Fotoguy: I'm glad you like how my story is turning out. As for Akane's dip in Jusenkyo, please refer to chapter 7, where Shingen mentions how vacant springs don't have established patterns to allow a demon passage. She only provided a key by creating the Akanenichuan; I felt it would not do for the original pattern to also be a suitable infection host. (Long story short, I didn't want to have to deal with a possessed Akane as well; for this storyline it wouldn't have worked out.)

kyuketsukiouji: Thanks for the note on possessives; since I don't speak Japanese I was afraid mistakes might come up. I was going off translations provided by a friend; I'll fix it in future installments.

Ryu-kanji, kayemsi, ranma-fanatic04, the-shadow002: Thank you all for your support and I hope you like this installment.

Dragonlord04: Glad you like the story so far; surprise, I did include Doc Tofu after all. I'm not sure how often he may appear, but he will appear.

And to all my readers, thanks again and keep those reviews coming in. I'll be taking a short break from writing- maybe a day or two- but should have the next installment within 10 days or so. Until next time. -Neon Ronin


	14. A Day of Rest

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. There, the disclaimer's out of the way, so on with the show. Be forewarned, there's some WAFFyness in this chapter.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 14: A Day of Rest

* * *

Ryoga's eyes snapped open as a cry of horror escaped his throat. He sat up violently and instantly regretted it, falling backwards again- and regretted that, too, as his head connected with a rock that had served as his pillow. He groaned, holding a hand to his forehead as cold sweat rolled down his temples. Out of the corner of his eye, he could just make out a stray shaft of sunlight creeping through the trees. 

"Six times now…" he muttered. "Five straight days… ever since just before their wedding…" He cringed inwardly, thinking back to his garbled thoughts on Monday, thoughts which had mirrored his attitude from half a year ago so vividly. Some of his more specific thoughts at the time were coming back to him, making him even more confused. "Doing them a favor by breaking up the ceremony? Where the hell did THAT come from, I wasn't even planning on being there in the first place… but one wrong turn and there I was… and that cask of Nannichuan… everything going to pieces…" He shook his head and sat up again, slower this time. "Agh, feels like I got a woodpecker biting my brain or something…"

Ryoga breathed deeply. His mind was burning up, overloaded with images from yet another one of his nightmares. All around him had been fire, screams of terror, and laughter… low, rapacious laughter. Visions of Ranma turning weak and helpless before his very eyes, his face becoming an emotionless mask… one that matched the look he had worn on Phoenix Mountain when he saw Saffron transform Akane into a doll. Then more visions, visions of Ranma being crushed by a mighty figure… the monstrous boar-headed-Ryoga that proceeded to lash out and seize up the forms of other screaming people… Ranma's parents, Soun Tendo, a weeping Akane… and finally even Akari… He had heard the voice over and over again, _take it all, it is yours, take what you want and be truly happy! There is no harm in having that which should be yours by right!_ The voice would continue on and on, becoming ever more mocking in its tone, until the lost boy eventually woke up screaming- as he had just done for the sixth time.

Ryoga shuddered, cupping his face in his hands as he began to cry. "This must be my punishment," he whispered. "Can't even think straight anymore… and thanks to that, I wound up pushing some weirdo with an exorcist fetish into trying to kill Ranma for me; gods, I never really wanted him dead!"

_Yes you did… you called for him to prepare to die, and it was enjoyable to say, wasn't it?_

"Huh? What? NO! I just wanted to settle the score… didn't wanna be weaker that him… sure, in raw power I may have got him beat, but if that's the case then why does he always walk all over me?" He clutched his head and squeezed his eyes shut. "Even found a way to counter my Shishi Hokodan… it's like he's some kind of machine, that there's nobody he can't defeat! I… I just wanted a chance to reach that level myself… then maybe someone would respect me… stay with me…

_The way your parents never did._

Tears began to flow faster, and a sickly green aura oozed from his body. "They were never there… but then again, I was never there, none of us were ever together… and the one kid that might've been my friend didn't even give me the time of day, all he did was use me as a stepping stool at the lunchroom! Dammit all, Ranma, why did YOU have to get all the attention and leave nothing left for ME?"

He covered his face in his hands again. "Now I've done it… I went too far and he nearly got ripped up because of something I said. And then… Akane… oh gods, I guess I knew all along you two were meant for each other, and just kept sticking my big nose in anyway. Because… because you were the first one to show me any real kindness…"

_Yes, so why not take her and make her yours by force, that'll put you one beyond your rival…_

"DAMMIT!" he gasped, smacking himself in the forehead. "No, I can't keep thinking like that! I won't hurt her the way… the way I've already hurt her… and then hurt Akari…" He collapsed into a sobbing heap, remembering the look on Akane's face as the truth about her pet P-chan was shoved violently in front of her. Then her quick retribution, her flaring battle aura causing her to look like a divine angel of vengeance before knocking him across the sky and into unconsciousness. Then… waking up at the Unryuu estate in Akari's caring presence, and the sudden overwhelming guilt at everything he had done washing over him. The realization that some of what he had felt for Akane had become a sick infatuation that put him at Kuno's level, and the thought alone had made him nauseous. Then the confession… he had to tell Akari what he had done. This wasn't something he could lie about again, not to her.

Ryoga shuddered again, remembering how he had yanked himself into a sitting position despite his contusions and multiple mallet bruises and started to confess everything to her. How Ranma had discovered his curse, the vow not to reveal it, Akane's sudden fondness for an apparently helpless black pig… "Everything," he moaned. "I told you everything, Akari… I couldn't tell Akane out of fear that she'd throw me away like everyone else. But now…" He shivered. "What must you think of me now? I went and used a promise between men against him… against her… I have no honor left, how can you love someone like that?"

He hadn't bothered to look at her face once, but had squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head the whole time he was confessing to her. She hadn't said a single word; the only sign she was there was her hand on his shoulder.

_And the moment you finished telling her, you turned tail and ran when you could have taken her in a moment of tenderness!_

"NO!" Ryoga screamed, slamming his hands to the ground and staggering up, glancing around at the slowly brightening woodland clearing he was camped out in. "No… I couldn't have… didn't need to look at her, I knew she'd be hurt… lovely gift to give her, letting her know I'm a big fat lying pig… and here I've gone and danced around with her feelings when I wasn't even sure of my own…" He began to pace- or rather, stagger- back and forth, holding his head in his hands. Occasional bursts of 'this is all Ranma's fault' or 'I wouldn't have been in this position if it weren't for that bastard Shingen' shot out randomly, shortly accompanied by 'what kind of a man am I' or in some cases, 'I don't deserve her…' The shuddering green aura was throbbing about him, pulsing in time with his own sobs and groans. Sooner or later, something was going to give. Something did give… but not with a shout. With a whisper.

"Shishi Hokodan…"

Dawn became high noon as green light scorched the leaf canopy above the clearing, ripping a gaping hole through surrounding tree limbs and tearing across the morning sky. It wasn't a Perfect Shishi Hokodan, but it was more than sufficient to widen the clearing to three times its previous size, throwing rocks and broken tree limbs about and prompting dozens of birds to promptly relocate and find a safer forest.

Ryoga's arms fell limp at his side as he dropped to his knees, eventually collapsing onto his face. "I'm nothing…" he whispered before falling into a dreamless sleep.

Silence returned to the clearing.

The sun rose higher in the sky.

The sound of something moving through the trees at a rapid pace began to echo through the clearing, growing louder by the second. Ryoga paid it no mind; it didn't elicit so much as a wince or a shudder from the prone boy. A few crashes reverberated through the forest, growing louder until the unmistakable silhouette of a large sumo pig burst its way into the clearing. It sniffed the air, making a beeline for Ryoga's body, pausing only to let its smaller rider jump down and run up beside him.

"Ryoga?" Akari knelt by his head, rolling him over and pulling him partway onto her lap. Her fingers gently brushed across his tear-stained cheeks. "Why did you have to run away like that? You didn't even give me a chance to say anything; Katsunishiki and I have been looking all over for you!" She sighed, a tear of her own welling at the corner of her eye. "You shouldn't have been moving in the first place, not the way you were injured. You didn't have to run…"

She blinked a few times, then placed a hand on his forehead. "Oh, sweetie, you're burning up. Let's get you back home and get you something for that." She propped Ryoga's limp body up as well as he could, and with a little effort- and help from Katsunishiki- she soon had him lying across the sumo pig's back. It would have been easier in his cursed body, of course, but the thought didn't cross her mind. Akari climbed up as well, silently thanking the Kami that her hunch about the green ki blast had proved to be right. _This isn't something you needed to run from, Ryoga,_ she thought as they began the trek back to the estate. _Did you think I was just going to turn my back when it's so obvious you're in a lot of pain? We have to talk about this, and I won't let you leave me before we do…_ She looked down at his face and allowed herself a weak smile. _It took a lot of courage for you to tell me what you did…_

_

* * *

_

A little later that same morning found Akane in something of a mixed mood. Her initial feeling was one of aggravation, directed primarily at the irregular bruising on her forearms and below her ribcage. She winced as she sat up in bed and prodded her flesh experimentally, wondering at the same time how she had walked away from the succubus' ki blast without more serious injury. That thought gave way to happier emotions… she and Ranma had pulled through the ordeal in one piece, like they had so many others before. She prayed this meant he'd be able to relax a bit, and not have to worry about something else telling him what to do. She was also a little concerned about the apparent side effect of the Spirit Purge, wondering if it meant part of the demon was still left inside of Ranma; this was soon shaken off when she remembered what Shingen had said about the negative energy's complete disappearance from his aura. There was also worry about what else they would have to face from the others, likely sooner rather than later. And finally, hope.

Stifling a yawn, she pushed herself out of bed, noting it was a lot later than her normal wake-up time. Glancing at her clock, she found a note taped to the Snooze button- "Have a nice day off, sis; don't slack off too much-N."

Akane chuckled. "Thanks, Nabiki," she said as she put on her slippers and stood up. "Ouch," she gasped, putting a hand to her stomach. "Hmm… guess I should be glad that girl only bruised me. Still hurts like no tomorrow, though…" She sighed, trying to ride out the twinges she was feeling as she padded to her door and stepped outside. _Maybe a few katas will help loosen me up…_

"Oh, Akane! Are you feeling any better?"

Akane glanced up; Kasumi was standing right next to her. "Morning, Kasumi," she replied with a smile. "Yeah, I'm alright. Nothing big, just some bruises and stuff; I've had worse."

"Are you sure about that? You and Ranma did both go through an awful lot last night. You are going to take Dr. Tofu's advice and rest today, aren't you?"

"Well… it's not like I can just stay in bed all day, sis, I have to get up at some point…"

"I know that, Akane, but I also know there have been some times when you've said you felt okay and then went and hurt yourself, and I'm just trying to make sure you don't do that today." Kasumi's voice took on a stern tone she seldom, if ever, used. "You weren't thinking about going to the training hall and practicing, were you?"

Akane's eyes widened, followed by her looking to one side awkwardly. "Um… well… just a kata or two so I don't get stiff…"

Kasumi sighed. "Not until you've had a chance to rest up; Tofu gave you that pass so you could be sure you were both well, not to go break bricks and possibly aggravate your injuries in the process. I'm sorry, Akane, but no exercise until at least later this afternoon… and nothing rough, either." She paused, then smiled again. "I know how stubborn you can get about your training, Akane, but you really should look out for yourself as well. I'm just thinking about your well-being, imotochan." _Come to think of it, you and Ranma are quite alike in that regard. I just hope you see it before you wind up hurting yourselves…_

Akane nodded slowly; obviously trying to argue with Kasumi would be just as daunting, if not more so, than trying to argue with Nodoka. Especially when it came to family and their best interests. "Okay, Kasumi… I'll get some rest first." She was promptly interrupted by her stomach growling, and she flushed. "After I find myself something to eat," she added with a weak giggle.

"Actually, I figured you and Ranma wouldn't be up till now, so I saved you both a late breakfast," said Kasumi. "I was just about to see if you were both awake when you came out."

"Thanks, Kasumi." She paused. "Um… actually, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather check on him myself and see if he's up… uh… since I'm up anyway."

Kasumi blinked, then smiled warmly and nodded. "I think that'd be very nice, Akane. I'll just go and make sure Mr. Saotome's alright; I think he was passed out all night in the tearoom," she said, adding a disapproving look towards the end. Akane nodded and headed toward Ranma's door as Kasumi turned and made her way downstairs.

_Not too long ago, you wouldn't usually offer to check on Ranma without a gripe or two. I'm really proud of you, Akane… it looks like you're both finally growing up. And I'm so happy that you're smiling more these days, too._ Kasumi hummed lightly to herself. Further downstairs, the moan of a hungover elder Saotome wafted through the halls.

* * *

Ranma was still asleep as Akane opened the door and slipped into his room. He lay flat on his back, perfectly still, covered up to his elbows by a rumpled sheet. His face was relaxed, with a faint smile on his lips, and for a moment Akane just stood and looked at him as he slept. It was something she'd seldom done- at least as far as anyone else knew. She'd thought about it more than a few times, but never admitted it to anybody. _He looks so peaceful,_ she thought to herself as she moved a little closer. His head lolled to one side, and she found herself silently wondering why she had slapped, smacked and beaned him upside the head so often. 

_Maybe if I hadn't had such a hair-trigger temper back then, or if you'd had a chance to have a better role model than your dad… but then, you never did follow too many of his examples, did you?_ She kneeled beside him and reached out, gingerly brushing a lock or two of black hair away from his eyes. _That thing inside you wasn't much help, either. Gods only know what that curse did to you… or could have done…_ She became vaguely aware of a lone tear forming in her eye and brushed it away.

_I'm really sorry about all the times I lashed out in anger, Ranma… and I know we already forgave each other Sunday night, but I promise I'll try to get better. You already did so much for me, it's past time I did something for you… and I mean something good, not like my stupid attempts to cook something…_ Her thought train was interrupted by a slight murmur from the sleeping martial artist beside her. She smiled slightly. _I wonder what you're dreaming of, Ranma._

His lips parted slightly. "Mmm… A… Akane…"

Akane's eyes widened and a blush crossed her cheeks. _He's dreaming about me?_

"So… beautiful… so strong… always have been… my fav'rite tomboy…" She had to stifle a giggle when he said that, then looked up again as a different sound emerged. A low, anxious moan.

"Uh… wait… where'd ya go… you were right here…" His head lolled to the other side of the pillow, and Akane's smile faded as she saw his hands ball into fists.

"Don't go… was it… was it somethin' I did… somethin' I said…" His breathing started to speed up.

"Please… I need ya… don't leave… oh gods, no… not again… not… Jusendo… not him… don't take her away…"

"It's okay, Ranma…" Akane whispered, pulling up a corner of the sheets and slipping in next to him, her hand brushing against his arm. "Shh… it's okay… I'm still here… I'm not going anywhere…" She reached up and gently rested her palm on his chest, not sure of what she was doing but hoping that it would calm him down. "You didn't say anything wrong, and nobody's taking me away from you again," she said almost inaudibly. Gradually, Ranma's breathing slowed, his face and hands relaxed once more. His eyelids fluttered once, then opened slightly.

"Uh… wha…" he muttered, blinking several times before he noticed the head of blue-black hair resting by his left shoulder, with an accompanying hand on his chest. His eyes widened. "Akane? Um… uh… er, not that I mind or nothing' but what are ya doin' here?"

She blushed. "Well… I just woke up and thought I'd see if you were awake yet… and if you felt any better after last night." She sat up slightly. "You… um… I heard you talking in your sleep, and it sounded like you were having a bad dream."

Ranma blinked, then nodded slowly. "Um… yeah, I guess I was…" He looked to one side. "Thought I would've outgrown nightmares by now… least now that I don't have somethin' living inside my head."

"Well, we all have bad dreams once in a while, Ranma," said Akane as she settled in a little closer. "I've had some real doozies myself; one time I woke up punching my pillow because I thought it was Happosai trying to grope me."

Ranma let out a long sigh. "At least that kinda bad dream doesn't end with losin' someone for good…"

Akane nodded, a sad look on her face. _Saffron again. I don't know if you'll ever forget that… I wish you could._ "You didn't lose me, though."

"I almost did…"

"But you didn't," she said, in a firm yet gentle voice, giving him a light squeeze. For a moment, the two of them just looked at each other.

"Have you… had dreams about that before?"

Ranma nodded. "Once, on the way back from China."

"I wish you'd told me…"

"I wanted to… but I was still kinda in shock about the whole thing, and I didn't know how you'd react… and I… I guess I was just… well…"

"Afraid?" Akane offered. Ranma let out a long breath.

"Yeah… big shocker, the guy who ain't afraid of nuthin' can't deal with c-c-cats… or makin' people cry… or tellin'his own fiancee the truth, that... well...he's terrified of losing her."

Akane smiled warmly. "Well, I do know one thing… you won't lose me." She turned so she was facing him fully, lying on her side. "Truth is, you're not alone in your fears."

"Huh?"

"I don't want to lose you, either… to anything. To some other girl, or a lunatic rival like Kuno, or a demon… and I especially don't want to lose you because of something I did." She reached up and stroked his cheek, tracing his jaw line with her finger. "Why did I have to hit you so many times, you handsome baka?" she said with a playful smirk.

"Well… I'm sure a few of them did have valid reasons, you kawaii tomboy," he replied in an equal tone as he brushed the hair by her temples.

"You sure you don't mean 'kawaiikune', Ranma?" she asked with a giggle.

"Akane, if anyone ever calls you kawaiikune again, including me, go ahead and knock their lights out."

"Thanks… but I'd really rather not include you in that formula, not now," she said softly, leaning her face closer to his. "I'd prefer something a little gentler with you..."

Ranma smiled, leaning in as well. "Me too… something we can both enjoy… that we both want…"

"That we both need…" Akane's words were a whisper as her lips pressed to Ranma's. She felt his arms wrap around her, holding her to him but not pressing; there wasn't the slightest twinge from her bruises, but a pleasant tingling as his hands gently stroked and caressed her back. Her hand brushed the back of his neck, just below his pigtail. Ranma shuddered at the sensation, then brought his left hand up to the back of her neck, supporting her and returning the caress. Akane sighed happily into their kiss, parting her lips and hesitantly fluttering her tongue against his mouth; her actions were quickly rewarded as his own lips parted to grant her admission. Soft moans of contentment escaped them both as their kissing grew deeper and more passionate; memories of their first kiss in the dojo returned to them and time seemed to stand still. His hands traced gentle circular patterns on her neck and the small of her back; she ran her fingers through his hair and along part of his upper chest, never once breaking contact with his mouth. A warm, soothing wave of energy began to wash over the pair, raising their sensations even higher and seeming to ignite a fire in their hearts.

That's when the sound of a throat being cleared in the doorway hit both their ears.

"Well… I was planning to check on you two and see if there were any lingering effects from yesterday, but I can see from here you're doing just fine." Their eyes snapped open and they broke the kiss, looking up. Shingen was leaning in the doorway in a camo t-shirt and jeans, arms folded and a bemused smile on his face.

Ranma groaned. "Geez, man! Doesn't anybody in this town know how to friggin' knock?"

"Don't look at me, someone else left the door open."

Akane turned bright red as a sweatdrop ran down the back of her head. "Oops… guess I forgot." The two of them disengaged their embrace and sat up, awkwardness written all over their faces. "It's not like I was planning on turning things into a show," she added, a little hotly.

"I'm just glad it wasn't Nabiki; she'd be selling tickets," Ranma groused.

"Yeah, or our fathers; they'd have us in front of the priest in seconds."

"As I was saying," Shingen interjected, "I just wanted to make sure your recovery was going well, I wasn't trying to intrude. If you could hold still for just a moment." He stepped closer and shifted his perception slightly. "Hmm… yes, so far it looks like you're faring well. How do you feel?"

Ranma stretched his arms out and yawned. "Still a little tired… but other than that, I feel great."

"Actually… me too," said Akane as she got to her feet and shook out her arms. "A lot better than when I woke up, actually." She blinked, looking at her forearms and running a finger along the underside of one. "That's odd."

"Huh? What's up 'kane?" Ranma asked as he slowly stood up.

"I think my bruises are gone."

"Really?" He peered at her left arm; the purplish marks had faded considerably from what they had been the previous night. "You're right, that is odd."

"Maybe they weren't as bad as I thought they were."

Ranma smirked. "Or maybe it was the kiss that did it," he quipped, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, right," Akane giggled, giving him a light swat. "That's all your ego needs right now."

"In any case," Shingen continued, "there don't appear to be any remaining negative anomalies. That's what was the important thing." He turned to Ranma. "A little more rest, and maybe some of Kasumi's miso soup should have you back to normal in no time. You better hurry; what she saved for you might not last long." A pair of stomach growls answered him, prompting them all to laugh.

"I dunno what you'd call 'back to normal', but right now food sounds real good," said Ranma.

"Food sounds good to you anytime, baka."

"Tomboy."

"Um… you two, 'breakfast' is getting cold," Shingen said with a smirk.

Akane nodded. "C'mon, Ranma, let's go before your dad wakes up and steals it." Ranma nodded, and the two of them exited the room with only one or two stumbles as Ranma's knees got a crash refresher in how to stand. As they reached the top of the stairs, Akane stopped him and gave him another hug.

"I think I like that 'good morning kiss' just as much as your good-night kiss," she whispered. _Maybe even more… gods, that felt so wonderful!_

Ranma smiled and gave her cheek a tender caress. "Hey… y'know I'm crazy 'bout you, right?"

Akane nodded. "I thought you were just plain crazy," she snickered before leaning up and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "But I love you anyway. Now let's eat."

"Sounds like a plan," he replied as they descended the stairway. One final thought flashed through his mind as they reached the bottom. _Thank you, Akane._

At the top of the stairway, Shingen stood in thought, arms crossed.

_You might not be that far off in thinking the kiss did it, my friend. I know what I saw; you two were so caught up in each other you didn't even notice it. I've seen enough aura joinings in my time. You weren't just touching physically, you were touching on the astral as well, even if you didn't intend to… and it's not easy to disguise the nature of what was happening in your ki._

_That was Naosu Kousen._

_The Healing Light technique I used to seal the wound I inflicted on you._

_I knew there had to be more to this than mere coincidence. Father was right, this could be something above and beyond anything we were expecting. But there's still more I need to figure out… like the shadow I saw in Akane's aura. It's not demonic in the least, her ki patterns confirmed that… more like a scar._

_Best not to tell them just yet. Maybe once he's recovered._

_

* * *

_

"Nabiki Tendo, I must have words with thee! The day is more than halfway done, and thine sister, the fair tigress Akane hath not shown her face once! Dost thou know wherefore she does not appear at class? And for that matter, the other vision of my dreams, the pig-tailed goddess, she too has forsaken these grounds! If you know something, I would have you tell me!"

The lunch break at Furinkan was drawing to a close, and the Tendo sibling in question glanced up from her drink, giving a certain senior a half-lidded glare. "Kuno baby, you really know how to butcher the classics, you know that? And just out of curiosity, have you got a death wish or something? You know if you keep pestering my little sister, she'll likely do worse than kick you in the bokken again."

Kuno winced slightly before regaining his composure. "Nay, I know my fair one, and it is not of her own free will that she hath acted as such. Rather, it is that lascivious scoundrel Saotome that corrupts her maidenly virtues! Now I must know why my beloved Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl have not been seen! And I swear, if that cretin is responsible, then he shall feel the true divine wrath of the Blue Thunder!"

Nabiki sighed, holding out her hand. "5000 yen."

"WHAT?"

"You know my rules, Kuno. Nothing's free in this world, least of all from me." He glared at her silently for a second before producing his wallet and slapping five notes into her waiting palm.

"Now, whither Akane?"

"Out sick, Kuno baby. Stomach bug or something, could be infectious," she said.

"And the pig-tailed girl?"

She waggled her hand again. "Nothing's free. Another five thou."

"Thou shalt be the ruination of me," he grumbled, forking over five more bills. "Now, tell me!"

"Also out sick. Fact is, we may have to quarantine them; might be REAL infectious. No sense worrying about them or visiting till they're better."

"What? Why, how can you be so unfeeling?" Kuno exclaimed. "Two visions of loveliness, laid low by illness and unable to attend school or see any friends, and you dare to think they need not be visited? Nay, in a time of weakness they need the tenderness of the one they care the most for! I shall not be denied!"

"Whoa, whoa, don't get your hakama in a twist there, big guy. You _really_ don't want to be seeing either of them right now; you'd regret it, I promise you," said Nabiki, smirking devilishly. _I'm sorry, sis, but that was easy money and the lummox really needs some sense beaten into him. Besides, you and Ranma could use a nice human punching bag._ The bell signaling the end of lunch sounded.

Kuno failed to notice the smirk. "Ha! I fear no man or disease; if it shall soothe the hearts of my fair ones, I will risk the Plague itself to be at their sides!" He turned and resolutely marched out of the classroom.

And marched right back in again under the watchful eye of Ms. Hinako. "I will not have students leaving school grounds while class is in session; that's a big sign of delinquency!" the currently child-like teacher scolded.

Kuno grumbled as he sat down at his desk. _Once classes are over… be strong, my loves, and I shall be with thee anon!_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's Note 3/1/05: Well, looks like I was a bit later than usual- blame Xenosaga 2 for that. Been hooked on that game, so this installment was a tad behind. Hopefully it will not disappoint you. 

Before I move on to individual thanks and comments, I'd like to mention something that keeps coming back to bite me- Akane and Jusenkyo. Yes, it is true she fell in a vacant spring and nearly drowned, but is still alive and apparently no worse for wear. However, I would like to point out that not only is the springs' history a very long one and facts can become distorted over time, it is also possible to drown and not die. Drowning simply refers to taking water into the lungs, not necessarily dying from it. In addition, ponder this: the springs require a pattern to operate and bestow the curse. And to get that pattern, an initial victim is immersed in the spring sufficiently long enough for the waters to acquire that pattern. While this may result in the death of said victim, it is also possible that occasionally a victim managed to escape the springs either through luck, skill or some combination thereof. Maybe the octopus simply wandered into a spring and starved to death instead of drowning; the point is, the history of the springs may be incomplete and may exaggerate certain aspects of it.

Another point to consider is Akane's incredible resiliency. How many times in the manga or anime has she been subjected to various hardships both natural and supernatural, and yet she is still in one piece? If you think about it, something was always getting her out of a jam, whether it was Ranma, or someone else, or even sheer dumb luck. Looking at it that way, while she does encounter misfortune a great deal, she is probably one of the luckiest characters in the entire series because by all rights she should be dead by now.

Whether that luck is simple coincidence, or if it is the by-product of something else, is something you'll just have to wait and find out. There, I've finished my rant. This really wasn't intended to be a point of controversy; I'm just trying to have fun here, but I do appreciate the need for continuity.

Batanga: Thanks for the compliment; hope you liked the latest R/A moment.

Wonderbee31: Whether Ranma's remaining female form is sentient or just a fragment of his subconscious is yet to be seen. As for Nabiki, well… who can tell.

Unknown: Thanks, I try my best.

Zgfd: If you're going to flame someone, try using proper grammar. Then again, you likely won't read this anyway, so never mind.

Courtney Saunders(Noonzakai318): Thank you for your support; I'll try to do my best to keep your interest with my future chapters. This'll be a long story, I promise.

Fotoguy: Thanks again for your support as well; I did take a look at the first chapter of your story and it seemed intriguing. I will say, I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel/anime crossovers, but you seem to have a pretty good grasp on the subject matter and that's what helps build a good story. I'll look at it again soon.

Inu-ears: See the above passages regarding my opinions on the springs. Your concern is valid; please be patient and all will be revealed. I have some very specific things planned for both Akane and Ranma, and some hints are already turning up.

For those curious about the Naosu Kousen, see chapter 5.

Thank you again for your continued support, and please keep those reviews coming. Next chapter- Kuno interrupts a training session and a lost boy returns to Nerima. Until next time.

Neon Ronin

Update 3/2/05: Corrected mistakes pointed out; since I don't speak Japanese I goofed on the difference between older and younger sister. However, I'm not changing the waff spoken while one person was asleep; it may be OOC but sometimes we show a side of ourselves when we're asleep that we wouldn't show when we're awake.


	15. Back to Work

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I apologize for the slight delay in posting; work and life decided to overload me this week. Still, I try my best. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 15: Back to Work

* * *

As morning gave way to afternoon, several residents of the Tendo household were starting to get very bored. Nodoka and Kasumi were out shopping, Shingen was holed up in his rented room, Ranma and Akane were resting up from the previous night and Soun had his nose buried in the newspaper, leaving Genma with very little to do. Normally he and his old friend would have been engrossed in another game of shogi, if only somebody hadn't hidden the game board. Something about 'work before play' and a warning not to get so embarrassingly drunk again. He scowled slightly. _So maybe I overdid it a little last night, but why not? I felt I had reason to celebrate! The boy's cured, meaning I could be cured soon as well, I had every right… but that look on No-chan's face this morning…_ He shuddered. _Well, at least I did get the dojo floors clean enough to soften her up a bit. A little more buttering up and maybe we can be back to normal; I still can't believe she ORDERED me not to spar with the boy this morning!_

_He is the future of this school, after all… a far better martial artist than most anybody, if not the best! But I couldn't let that go to his head, he'd just let himself go soft… and without our daily ritual, he'll just get softer! Well… okay, so he did endure something of a trial by fire last night, but gods know that son of mine's trained under conditions like that before._ Genma let out a long sigh, staring up at the clouds. After a moment, he blinked and a sly smile crossed his face.

_Hmm. No-chan did say give the boy time to recover from last night… knowing him the way I do, he should be fit enough by now. And with her out of the house, there won't be any disapproving glances!_

"Saotome?"

Genma blinked, shaken out of his reverie. "Um… huh? Did you say something, Tendo?"

"I was just commenting on how it seems our two stubborn children finally seem to be making a connection, and you had this odd look on your face. Didn't seem to hear a thing." Soun put the paper down. "Are you feeling alright, old friend?"

"Sorry, Tendo, I just got lost in thought," Genma chuckled. "So… you were saying?"

"Just that in the past few days, Ranma and Akane seem to have made a few steps in the right direction. They didn't fight at all at breakfast yesterday, and she offered to help him out with that strange ritual last night." Soun smiled, a faint tear running down his cheek. "Something tells me it won't be long before the houses are well and truly joined. Your wife may have been right, Saotome; leave them to their own devices and let what will happen, happen." Just then a pair of voices wafted in from the TV room.

"Well, that's an hour of my life I'd like to have back."

"Oh, come on, Ranma! What was so bad about that show, I thought you'd like it!" came Akane's reply.

"Hey, I'm not sayin' it was bad, but you know I hate watchin' anything with subtitles, 'kane!" Ranma said as the two of them came in from the TV room, her in shorts and a t-shirt, him in black pants and a tank top.

"I just thought it might be interesting to see something on the import channel, that's all; besides, even you have to admit it was kind of funny to watch."

"Well… yeah, you do have a point, do people actually think that junk is real?"

"What's all the fuss, you two?" Soun asked.

Akane shrugged. "Just some mindless stuff we found on channel 56. Some kind of American reality series, I think."

"Couldn't understand half of what they said, an' now I got a headache from the subtitles," Ranma scoffed.

"Sounds like you might be getting a little soft there, boy," said Genma in a taunting tone. "A headache just from watching TV? I thought you were tougher than that!"

"Hey! Watch it, pops, you try goin' through what I went through last night an' see if you don't get a little sore the next day!" Ranma shot back. "Besides, you prolly got worse than me just off that damn sake bottle!"

"Don't you take that tone with me, young man! I'll have you know I was up and cleaning the dojo long before you were even awake!"

"Probably because Mom told ya to," Ranma growled.

"At sword point…" Akane added, not-quite-under her breath.

"That's it, boy, I knew I made a mistake in letting up on your practice the past day or two! Looks like you need a little lesson in respect!"

Soun glanced up sharply. "Now, Saotome, there's no need to fly off the handle today; remember Tofu's orders to let the boy rest?"

"Ah, let him rant, Mr. Tendo, you know full well he couldn't do a damn thing to… GACK!" Ranma was abruptly cut off as a livid Genma grabbed him by his tank top and hurled him, head-first, into the koi pond. Soun stared at his old friend in disbelief as Ranma hit the water while Akane's eyes went wide. Genma shut his eyes and took a deep breath before stepping off the porch; in the moment his eyes closed, he failed to notice a brief yellow flash underneath the surface of the pond.

"Alright, boy, you still think I haven't got what it takes to put you in your place?" Genma chuckled.

A few bubbles drifted across the pond, followed by the water's surface lurching up with a loud splash. Genma's chuckles instantly died down as Ranma emerged, soaked, tense and furious. And _female._

For a moment, there was nothing but dead silence. Soun blinked. Genma's jaw practically hit the ground, and Akane's hand flew to cover her mouth. Ranma-chan blinked once, glanced down at herself and stared in shock. Her head snapped back up, giving a full impression of a deer caught in the headlights as the redheaded girl began to hyperventilate.

"Wha… what the… how is this…" Genma started, taking two hesitant steps forward. "I thought… you said that… you said the curse was…" Ranma-chan said nothing in response, but clutched her arms to herself and squeezed her eyes shut as a despairing look swept over her face.

"Great Kami, how can this be?" Soun whispered in shock. "That Yamashira boy was supposed to have… he said it would… but he… and you…" Akane's left hand joined her right over her mouth as her shoulders started to shake.

"No… this can't be possible!" Genma lamented. "He SWORE it would work, and you said you were cured, boy! What… what does this mean… was he lying… did something go wrong… does this mean I'll never be able to…"

Genma would have babbled incomprehensibly for another ten minutes if it hadn't been for the sudden fist to the gut he received. Faster than the eye could follow, Ranma-chan sprang forward and delivered a series of devastating strikes to Genma's belly and across his face. He staggered back, his face one giant bruise, just in time to fall backward into the redhead grappling him from behind. She quickly turned him into a form more befitting a pretzel and booted him into the koi pond himself. A few hops and Ranma-chan was on the porch; she wiped her forehead and beamed the cockiest smile in her arsenal in the general direction of the battered panda.

"Heh. Guess you got put in yer place instead, old man," she snickered before bursting into full-blown laughter. Akane couldn't hold back her own laughs any longer and dropped her hands away from her mouth, holding her stomach as a slew of giggles racked her body.

"Oh, Ranma that was _terrible!_ But gods, that was so perfect, did you see the look on his face?" she gasped, unable to wipe away the grin she'd been hiding.

"Now ya know why I only told 'em about certain things at dinner last night," the redhead guffawed in reply.

Genma-panda stared in disbelief. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? he asked, courtesy of his ever-present signboard.

"Yes, what is going on here?" asked Soun, staring at the two laughing teens in general bewilderment.

Ranma-chan took a deep breath, wringing some water out of her now translucent tank top which did very little to conceal her breasts. "Just a little something I call payback for the old man," she said. "I figured he'd try an' pull something like this, so I decided not to clue him in on all the details till I had a little fun." A pale yellow aura surrounded Ranma's body for a brief second before turning into a bright flash; in the blink of an eye, Ranma was back to his normal form. "Fact is, pops, I _am_ cured… well, half-cured, anyway. Dunno if that's how it'll work for everyone, but that's how it did for me. Don't ask me why."

The panda flipped the sign over. HALF CURED? it said.

"Like I said, old man, don't ask." He brought his hands over his head, stretching out. "Thanks for the warm-up exercise, by the way."

* * *

"You sure you're feeling up to this?" Akane asked a half hour later. They were in the training hall, her in her yellow gi, Ranma in the white gi he almost never wore outside of practice. Both were going through some light stretches and warm-ups, having finally convinced Kasumi they had rested enough for one day. 

"Hey, don't worry 'bout me, Akane, fact is I feel great." He finished stretching and stood up. "We oughta stay home from school more often," he added with a smirk.

"Why? You sleep at your desk about as much as you do around here, baka."

"Yeah, but 'round here I don't get attacked every five minutes… or… uh… never mind."

Akane giggled. "So now what do you want to work on, sensei? Remember, you did say you were going to help me get better."

"Well, right now what I want to do is…" He blinked. "Sensei?"

"What's so wrong with that? You _are_ technically my instructor at the moment, Ranma."

Ranma sighed. "Yeah, but… I dunno, that just felt a little weird hearing ya call me that."

"You don't like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it… it's, I dunno, it just sounds strange is all. Like some kinda teacher-student division thing… ah hell, I can't explain it. Just, for now I'd rather ya just call me by my name, not sensei." He flushed a bit, scratching the back of his head.

Akane blinked, then nodded. "Okay, if that's the way you want it." She finished her own stretches and jumped to her feet. "Anyway, what's your plan for today?"

"Well, we're still not gonna go on to the really hard stuff yet. I wanna run you through a few katas and then some speed drills, see if we can't get you moving faster and maybe a bit more agile. Remember, 'kane, you've got great power, but that doesn't do you any good if you can't connect with your opponent."

Akane's face fell slightly. "Are you trying to tell me I'm slow or something?"

"No, I'm trying to say you aren't using your speed to your advantage. You put too much into a single punch sometimes and ya wind up overextending yourself, and if ya miss on that one punch, it leaves you wide open. Here, let me show you." Ranma concentrated for a second, initiating his transformation into his girl form.

"Huh? Hey, what'd you change for?" Akane asked. Ranma-chan heaved a sigh before looking up again.

"Akane, it's still gonna take me a while to get used to sparring with you; I've been thinking about it since Monday after school and I really don't see any way out of it. If I wanna help you get better, I gotta start hitting back, but I don't want to really hurt you either. At least in this body I'm not as strong, and besides, if I'm training ya in speed it'll help if I'm faster."

Akane nodded slowly, allowing herself a small smile. "Ranma, I'm not made out of glass, you know; I can take a hit or two if it's part of training. But… I do appreciate the thought. And I am glad you're at least going to try and fight back a little; it just means you're actually taking this seriously."

"Thanks, Akane. Now, try and hit me once. Nothing fancy, just a straight punch." Akane nodded, falling easily into a fighting stance. Ranma-chan settled into her preferred loose stance and took a deep breath. A second later, Akane sprang forward, thrusting her right fist at the redhead's face as hard and fast as she could. Ranma-chan darted to the side easily, grabbed Akane's wrist and pulled, using her own momentum to send the taller girl tumbling to the floor.

Akane staggered up. "Okay… what'd I do wrong…" she sighed, acting confused, but in her heart she already knew how Ranma had done it.

"One, you telegraphed your intended moves," Ranma-chan replied. "The way you shifted your weight, the movement of your elbow, everything. Two, like I was trying to show you, you put too much power into it. All I did was use your own power against you with a little leverage. That's my second lesson to you, Akane. Power is good, but speed is better. And if you have both, you can do just about anything."

Akane took a deep breath. "So how do I start getting better speed?"

Ranma-chan gave her a wry smile. "We'll start with a simple kata, then move on to a more complex one and finally some sparring. Just watch and learn, 'kane. And above all, remember my first point. Don't think. Just do."

* * *

The next half-hour seemed to pass at lightning speed. What Ranma had described as a simple kata turned into something more complex than Akane had been expecting; she stumbled more than once as the two of them spun and kicked their way around the room, prompting Ranma to stop and correct her stance. The third time she stumbled, Akane started to get flushed and began gripping the sides of her head, almost ready to tear her hair out. She might very well have done so if her redheaded sensei hadn't pulled her wrists away and admonished her on not losing her cool. 

"_You saw what happened to my old man when he lost it earlier; he got distracted, and got turned into a pretzel 'cause of it. It's the same thing with you sometimes, too; it's okay to get a little angry in a fight, but if you let it take over you start losing your focus rapidly. Hell, I've done that myself and paid the price, but I've learned from that as well. That's lesson three, Akane. Lose your cool and you lose the fight."_

As much as Akane hated to admit it, it was the truth. She knew her temper was a problem, and could also recall other times when emotion had caused her focus to waver at a crucial moment. It wasn't something she appreciated having pointed out to her, but she realized, with a heavy sigh, there was no getting around it. _I've got to get myself under control,_ she told herself as the two of them resumed work on their speed kata. _Calm… need to focus, I don't want to be an angry tomboy the rest of my life. Least of all around him… I can do this. Don't think, just do…_

By the time they had finished the kata, both of them had worked up a good sweat and Akane was practically glowing. The moment she had calmed down, it was like a switch had tripped in her mind; everything started to come together more easily. Her movements had become more fluid and her feet felt like they were walking on air. She was also tired and a bit sore, but she didn't care or really notice. _Gods, I really am getting better!_ she thought to herself. _I don't know if it's because I'm calming down or if it's the kata… maybe Ranma's just a good teacher and doesn't know it… hell, maybe it's all of the above, I don't care. This feels great!_

The two of them took a five minute break for water and to wipe the sweat off themselves. "How ya feeling so far, Akane?" Ranma-chan asked as she took a hefty swig from a water bottle before dumping the remaining contents over her head.

"A little tired, but other than that I feel fine," Akane replied, wiping her forehead with a towel. "Better than fine, actually; I didn't think I'd get a handle on that kata as fast as I did!"

"Yeah, it does get a little tricky the further ya get into it, but I had a gut feelin' you could handle it." The redhead gave her a wink. "Just more o' that potential comin' out, tomboy."

Akane gave her a playful swat. "Thanks to you, baka."

"Hey… you get the feeling we're always gonna be callin' each other those names?" Ranma-chan said with a smirk.

Akane shrugged. "I don't know… I mean, we've said them so many times it's like it's almost a reflex, you know?" She paused, then smiled warmly. "But the way you say it now… it really doesn't sound like an insult or a jab. I… I guess I kinda like it."

"Yeah, I kinda thought the same thing myself," Ranma-chan replied. She finished toweling her hair and stood back up again. "So… ready for the baka to teach you a little more?"

"If you don't mind a tomboy student," Akane giggled as she stood up. Just then a loud crack sounded above her head. Akane froze in place, glancing up in time to see dust drifting down from the training hall rafters. Another loud cracking noise echoed through the hall.

"Akane, get back!" Ranma-chan shouted as she grabbed the taller girl's wrist, yanking her forward just as a large section of rafter broke loose and came crashing down on the spot where Akane had been standing. A cloud of dust billowed out from the timber, causing both girls to choke and sputter for a moment. Ranma-chan staggered backwards a few steps before another loud crack echoed through the training hall. Suddenly she dropped several inches in height and flung her arms out to either side, just as her back collided with the floor; her foot had plunged through a weak section of floorboard and had caused her to flop backwards.

"Ouch…" she groaned.

"Ranma, are you okay?"

"I will be as soon as I get my foot out of the floor, Akane," the redhead grumbled, yanking herself out of the floor as she did so. "What's the deal, why'd the roof give like that?"

"Or the floor?" Akane mused, looking at the hole where Ranma-chan's foot had previously been. "That doesn't look like it was rotting wood."

"Maybe they didn't get the dojo fixed as well as they should have," Ranma-chan scowled, remembering the damage they'd endured at the botched wedding just a few days earlier. Just then several wooden practice swords fell off the wall rack on one side of the dojo.

Akane stared; the rack hadn't broken, the swords had just lifted up and fallen to the ground. "I don't think it's that simple, Ranma," she said in a darkening voice. "I'm starting to get the feeling something's doing this on purpose." In answer to her question, a calligraphy print on an upper wall promptly lifted off its hook and hung in the air for two seconds before rolling up and hitting the floor.

Ranma-chan stared as well, before clenching her fists in anger and standing up. "Damn it… Happosai, you old lech, is this yer work? Huh? You sore that I booted ya outta town, is that it? Come on out and face me, then! This ain't funny!" At that moment the far doors slammed open, followed by a voice that neither teen was expecting or wanting to hear.

"Fair maidens, it doth make my heart grieve to hear of thine misfortunes, but I do rejoice to see thou art not laid so low as others dare to think!"

Both turned to face the backyard doorway very slowly, and promptly face-faulted at the sight of Kuno brandishing twin bouquets of roses and identical boxes of chocolates, with a surgical mask over his nose and mouth. "Thine illness has not escaped my attentions, my dearest ones, thus I have made haste to bring you comfort in your time of need!" He paused for a moment. "Yet, it would seem thou art not as far gone as I have been led to believe… indeed, thou art the prime examples of feminine well-being! Truly, your recovery was surely expedited by the knowledge that my comforting embrace was imminent!"

Akane glared at Kuno square in the eye as she got up. "Kuno, you really are full of it, you know? Did you forget any of my little warnings over the past week, or are you some kind of masochistic pervert?"

"Personally, I'd have to say both," growled Ranma-chan.

"Pray, fair ones, hide not your true feelings any longer. I know that vile sorcerer Saotome has compelled thee to act against thine wishes, yet the fiend dares not approach this hall. Were he a man of honor, he would have met me at the gates, yet no sign of his presence has been made. Thou art free to act on thine true feelings; come to me, my loves!" Flinging his arms open wide, he lunged into the training hall.

And promptly flew into the backyard again with matching footprints on either side of his face. He whimpered in pain briefly before shaking his head and jumping to his feet again. Akane and Ranma-chan were both standing in the doorway, fists clenched.

"Take one more step towards this dojo," Ranma-chan snarled, "and I swear you'll be singin' soprano for a month, jackass."

Kuno stared. "My pig-tailed goddess, surely you mean not what you say! That villainous cur's sorcery must be deeper rooted than once I thought!"

Akane started to snicker. "You know, Kuno… maybe you ought to be more careful who you're calling a villainous cur," she said. "He might be a lot closer than you think." Turning her head slightly towards Ranma-chan, she whispered, "Wanna make him really squirm?"

A wicked grin flashed across the redhead's face. "Bout time we clued him in anyway…" Kuno wasn't paying any attention to their whispering.

"My dearest ones, I make to thee this vow; I shall not rest till this injustice has been corrected and thy hearts freed from…" A sudden rustle stopped him in the midst of his latest spiel. He blinked, then noticed both girls before him had gone wide-eyed. A faint cooling breeze washed over him, and the confused expression on his face grew more so. Glancing down, he realized what had happened as Akane and Ranma-chan started laughing. His hakama had fallen open, revealing a rather uniquely decorated pair of boxer shorts.

"Oh, that's NICE, Kuno!" Akane chortled. "I never knew you liked teddy bears that much!"

"Oh gods, I wish Nabiki was here with her camera!" Ranma-chan gasped, holding her stomach as she laughed even harder. "Who would've… haha… thought the… hehehe… the Blue Thunder wore somethin' like THAT?"

"Laugh if you must, there was nary another garment to be found this morn," Kuno stammered, tying his hakama back in place rapidly as he turned beet-red. "I will have to discipline Sasuke for not finishing the laundry on time."

"Oh, don't bother, Kuno," Akane giggled. "You ought to thank him for us, I never thought I'd see the day Tatewaki Kuno would be embarrassed like that! Truly priceless."

The second she finished talking, there was a rush of air in her vicinity. Suddenly her belt and Ranma-chan's unraveled and sprang off, followed by their gi tops flapping open. Both girls gasped and turned red; for Akane, who was wearing a sports bra, it wasn't as bad, but Ranma-chan hadn't worn anything under the gi and was completely exposed. Kuno blinked once, his eyes locking onto the redhead's prodigious bosom before collapsing backwards in a fountain of nasal blood.

"What the HELL was that?" Ranma-chan snapped as she yanked her gi top closed. "Dammit, I'll bet that old lech IS behind all this!"

"Whatever did that, I want first crack," Akane growled dangerously as she fixed her own gi top. "I can't believe we just wound up flashing Kuno!"

"I knew I shoulda worn a tank top under this," Ranma-chan sighed before stomping over to Kuno's prone form. "Okay, bokken boy, the show's over, time for ya to get up and get the hell outta here!" She grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up before banging him on the top of the head with her right fist.

Kuno shook himself awake, wincing at the sudden pain. "My… my pig-tailed beauty… such a truly… _bounteous_ beauty…"

Ranma-chan made a gagging sound and belted Kuno in the gut before dropping him to the ground. "Hey, 'kane, wanna get in a few hits of yer own?" The taller girl quickly nodded, stomped over and the two of them proceeded to play Kick the Kuno for a solid minute. Fists and feet flew like crazy, threatening to disfigure his face and, in three instances, adding further injury to a still-sore spot between his legs. Finally, the two yanked the samurai-wannabe to his feet, bleary-eyed and in a great deal of agony.

"Now before you say goodbye, Kuno, I'd just like to emphasize a certain point," Ranma-chan said in a low voice. "Neither one of us is very fond of your advances, in fact they make us both sick. Your attitude sucks, your language gives me headaches, and your cluelessness is a wonder to behold. So for the last time…" Ranma-chan began to glow; her voice suddenly deepened and red hair was replaced with black, causing Kuno's eyes to widen. "LEAVE. US. ALONE!"

The next thing Kuno saw was a foot connecting with his jaw, rocketing him out of the Tendo estate and over the skies of Nerima.

Akane heaved a sigh. "Think maybe now he'll finally get the message?"

"I sure as hell hope so; he saw me shift right in front of him," said Ranma as he straightened out his gi. "Now to find that old lech." Just then a loud crash echoed from the training hall.

"What the… what was that?" Akane asked.

"Dunno, but I didn't like the sound of it," Ranma replied as he broke into a run. Akane followed just a step behind.

They hadn't taken one step into the dojo before staring in shock. A virtual hurricane was sweeping through the hall, chucking everything in its path to one side or another. Two wooden swords were jammed into the far wall with a training dummy balanced precariously on top of it. The calligraphy print that had fallen off the wall was dancing about in the middle of the dojo like a snake-charmer's serpent. Broken bits of roof and rafter tumbled across the floor, and the shelf on which the family shrine sat was trembling ever so slightly. Both teens stared as a sudden burst of laughter struck their ears. It was gleeful, yet ever so slightly malevolent at the same time.

"What the hell is going on?" Akane cried. The whirlwind seemed to pause for a moment, then shifted directions, heading straight for the doorway. Ranma promptly threw himself into the path of the wind, bracing himself for impact. The wind hit, and the impact came… just not in the form he was expecting. There was no pain, just a sudden rustling, and suddenly he realized his pants had just hit the ground. He groaned and yanked them back up just in time to hear Akane's yelp.

"Are ya okay?" he shouted, turning to face her- then stared, wide-eyed. The same thing that had happened to him, had happened to her. The _something_ behind the whirlwind had dropped her pants to her ankles… revealing a rather skimpy pair of white lace panties. Ranma winced, slamming his eyes shut and turning around. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't mean ta… I wasn't tryin' to…" Akane blushed madly and yanked her pants back up.

"We'll talk about that later, Ranma!" she hollered. "In the meantime, what're we gonna do about this?" she added, gesturing to the room around them; the practice swords had removed themselves from the wall and had begun using the practice dummy as a calypso drum.

"If this is the old lech's doing, it sure as hell is more than he usually does!" Ranma replied, narrowly dodging a piece of flying timber. At that second, the house-side doors slammed open and Shingen burst in, pulling on his jacket as he did so.

"What in the name of Miyamoto Musashi is going on in here?"

Ranma glanced up. "That's what we're tryin' to figure out ourselves, Shingen!"

"Everything just started going wrong," Akane cried over the rush of air. "First the ceiling starts falling off, the floorboard gives way, next thing we know we've got shinai dancing around the room and _something_ trying to yank our clothes off!"

"Thought it was the old lech, our Grandmaster, but all this junk's movin a little to fast even for him!" Ranma added.

"This isn't the work of human hands, my friends," Shingen said in a dangerous tone as he tightened his gloves and straightened out his black bandanna. "Looks like we've got a little visitor." He brought both hands up before his eyes, first and fourth fingers extended. "KAMI NO SHISEN!" His hands swept outward, followed by a burst of white-gold energy emanating from his eyes and washing over the rest of the dojo. The whirlwind shuddered, then dispersed as the air within seemed to unpinch itself. Akane stared; it was like seeing Ranma emerging from the Umisen-ken… or one of Toma's minions emerge from the shadows. Standing in the middle of the dojo was a three foot tall gray creature with absurdly green eyes, six-fingered hands, odd little bat wings on its back and the most lascivious grin she had ever seen on anything, human or non-human.

"What the hell is that thing?" Ranma expectorated. Before Shingen had time to answer, the goblinoid beast launched itself into the air, cackling insanely before landing on Ranma's shoulders, where it proceeded to slap and poke his cheeks and try to yank his pigtail off. Ranma promptly grabbed the thing off of his head and threw it against the wall. It recovered, smirked and made a beeline for Akane, lunging forward with its hand outstretched. Akane stood still for a brief second, but just before it actually latched onto her and grabbed at her breast, she dodged to one side, grabbed it by the wrist and sent it tumbling end over end through the air. The beast tried to twist around and stop its fall, but promptly got propelled in another direction, courtesy of Ranma's foot. It skidded across the dojo floor, flipped over onto its feet, but before it could go anywhere, a gloved hand seized its wings and hauled it off the ground.

"Figured it was a matter of time before one of these came to say hi," Shingen sneered. The creature whined pathetically, flailing its arms and trying to bite Shingen's wrist. The tall man grimaced, then flipped the green-eyed thing into the air in front of him. "Jinrai Tekken revised, TWIN THUNDER!" Yellow-gold ki flared around both his clenched fists; an instant later, both fists smashed into the creature's head, squeezing its skull into a bizarre balloon-like shape. The thing promptly exploded into white shards of light that quickly blew away in the wind.

Shingen straightened his jacket. "Annoying little bastards, aren't they?"

* * *

"What'd you say that thing was again?" Akane asked. They were sitting in the tearoom some time after the incident in the dojo. Kasumi was beginning preparations for dinner while Nodoka hung some laundry to dry. Nabiki sat at the far end of the table with a can of soda and an amused smile on her face. _Gods, if only I'd been here with my camera,_ she thought to herself. _Who would've thought Kuno baby wears teddy bear- print boxers?_

"An imp," Shingen replied. "The practical joker of demon kind. They just love to make life 'interesting' with the occasional accident or bit of misfortune, but they aren't really overtly harmful." He folded his arms. "Mostly what they are is annoying. Especially to Hunters; they love to irritate us and pull us away from the really dangerous demons. I'm actually surprised one hadn't shown up earlier."

"You mean those things follow ya around?"

"Not exactly, Ranma. They just tend to show up if a job keeps a Hunter in one area for a protracted length of time."

"And you neglected to tell us this… why?" Nabiki asked, giving him a half-lidded glare.

Shingen sighed. "Because I'd warded the room I'm renting, Nabiki-chan. I figured since I'd be spending a good deal of prep time in that room it'd be best to keep it protected. That usually keeps an imp away for at least a little while."

"But it showed up anyway and tore part of the training hall up," Akane groused. "You could've mentioned something."

"I'm sorry, but I've been kind of focused on something a lot more important than a mischief demon," Shingen replied coolly. "I've been trying to get a second Purge ward ready for the better part of the day now; I was just putting the finishing touches on it when I heard the commotion outside."

"Oh, yeah…" said Ranma. "So does that mean ya can take care of another infection now or what?"

Shingen shook his head. "No, it still needs some more time to dry. I'd say by sundown it should be ready." Squaring his shoulders, he sat up and cracked his knuckles. "Anyway, from what I heard earlier it sounded like that imp wasn't the only thing creating a ruckus."

Akane groaned. "Yeah, like I said, that baka Kuno tried to pay us a house call… and I wonder just how he heard that we were out sick, anyway?" She leveled a gaze at Nabiki; Ranma did likewise.

"Oh, come on, sis, it's not like he wouldn't have found out anyway. Besides, I figured you two would've enjoyed breaking the bad news to him- not to mention the look on his face when he realized he'd been head over heels for a guy."

"Lemme guess. He paid ya off, didn't he?" Nabiki laughed nervously; Akane and Ranma both groaned.

"I just figured you two could use a nice sparring dummy, that's all," said Nabiki with a shrug.

"Dummy being the operative word," Akane sighed. "I just hope he got the hint once and for all this time."

The sound of a phone ringing wafted in from the front hall, followed by Kasumi picking up the receiver.

"And if he doesn't?" Ranma asked. Akane looked up and grinned slyly.

"Then we may have to practice place kicks with 'little Kuno' again." She giggled, prompting everyone at the table to start laughing. Just then Kasumi stepped into the tearoom.

"Shingen-kun? You've got a phone call; it's the Neko Hanten."

Shingen stood up. "The Amazons? Huh. Wonder why they'd be calling now. Thanks, Kasumi-san." He turned on his heel and headed for the phone. Kasumi returned to the kitchen.

"Why would the Amazons want to talk to Shingen?" Akane mused.

"Maybe the old bat wants to trade exorcism recipes," Nabiki quipped.

"I wouldn't think so, Nabiki."

"Oh? Then what do you think it could be, Ranma?" she replied.

"I'm not sure…" he said quietly. "But I do know that Cologne and he were talkin' about collaborating on this whole Jusenkyo infection thing. If that's the case, then they could be callin' here about that… maybe about somethin' going wrong."

Akane stared. "You mean like someone going out of control?" At that moment, Shingen's voice began to waft down the hallway.

"How long ago?… Are you sure?… I see. That bad, huh… and what steps have been taken already?"

There was a pause. Akane and Ranma glanced at each other; the look in their eyes was identical. _What's going on?_

"Okay… and already heading this way?… I see… Yes, of course… I'll do what I can. Thank you for the warning. Goodbye." The sound of the phone hanging up, followed by rapid footsteps before Shingen re-entered the tearoom.

"What's going on?" Akane asked. "Is Shampoo in trouble or something?"

"Yeah, what's the deal, man?" Ranma added.

"That was Mousse on the phone just now; he wanted to relay a message from Elder Cologne," Shingen replied.

"Yeah? So, what'd he say?" Ranma asked, almost shouting. Shingen took a breath.

"They've found Hibiki."

Ranma blinked. "Huh? They actually found Ryoga?" he exclaimed, jumping up. "Where the hell was he? Is he okay?"

"Please tell me he didn't lose control and hurt someone…" Akane murmured.

"From what Mousse told me, the Elder was using some divination magic to locate his ki. Something caused it to flare early this morning, so she tracked it down as fast as she could. Apparently he was at an estate outside of the city proper."

"So what happened then?" Nabiki asked.

"From what I've been told, the Elder made her way there as fast as she could. It sounds like he's not in the best of shape, but she did have several tribal techniques that appear to have calmed him in time; fortunately, it sounds like nobody got seriously hurt yet."

"Well, that's a relief, I guess…" Ranma sighed. "Hey, did I hear ya say something about heading this way? Does that mean she's bringin' him back here?"

"That was my understanding. Given what Mousse told me, they should be arriving any time…" An incredibly loud crash echoed from the front gates of the Tendo estate, causing the walls to shudder and everybody except for Shingen to flinch. "Now," he finished with a sigh.

"Hello?" came a faint female voice from just outside the front door. "Is anybody there? Please, somebody come help us, Ryoga-sweetie's in really bad shape and Granny here said you could help him!" The voice was followed by a low grunting sound, not unlike the snort of a certain sumo pig.

Shingen nodded to the others in the room. "Let's go to work."

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's Note 3/11/05: Well, I think I managed to get this posting done in a pretty reasonable amount of time; I only hope that the quality hasn't suffered because of it. I'm really overwhelmed at the number of reviews I've been getting; my previous works didn't attract this much attention. I am honored that so many of you like my work. 

Luna12: I did follow through with the Japanese correction you mentioned, and while the mush may have been a teeny bit excessive, I didn't see anything wrong with the two lovebirds growing up a little. Still, I will try to balance it a bit more in future. As for the scar in Akane's aura, wait and see.

AnnechanB: As above, mistake noted, correction made. Thanks.

Wonderbee31: Yes, there may be something supernatural afoot- after all, there's a Demon Hunter renting a room at the Tendo's. Also, I promise you haven't seen the last of Kuno- and as for Ryoga, stay tuned.

Borg rabbit: Glad you liked the chapter. As for what's up with Ranma and Akane… all I can say is stay tuned.

Batanga: Thanks for the support; I try to update at a quick pace.

Fotoguy: Yeah, that's kind of the formula I'm using, glad it seems to be working. Thanks for your support; I'll try to get back to your story when I'm not so frazzled from work.

Courtney Saunders: I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little while longer re: the scar, but not too much longer for news on the lost boy. Hope you're enjoying what you see here.

The-shadow002: Thanks again for your continuing support. Glad you liked the little bits of waff I threw in.

Lerris: Thanks for your patronage, and I hope this chapter pleases.

Dante hunter: Thank you.

Leeyiankun: Yeah, I guess that's one way it could've gone. Rather amusing thought, actually. Not sure what KOTF is supposed to stand for, though. Hope you liked this part.

Rekka's Angel: Thank you for your very kind review; I'm glad some of my secondary research seems to be paying off. I hope I can continue to pique your interest with this little chronicle.

Volo: Thanks, I intend to keep writing till my fingers fall off. (joke)

A: Glad you like what I've done so far. As far as the group weighing the possibility of having to kill Ryoga… well, that is a definite thought but in all likelihood a less lethal option would be available if worst came to worst. Stay tuned to see.

Kat: Thank you, and I do intend to finish.

Inu-ears: Thanks for your support; hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others.

Tendo Nabiki-chan: Well. What can I say? I've never had anyone offer to do fanart of an original character before… I'm very flattered and would love to see your rendition of Shingen. My email addy is on my profile, you can view it if you're logged in. The site will not allow me to post it in my chapter, apparently. I'll try contacting you if all else fails.

Thank you to all who read this, and remember that reviews are a writer's friend! Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	16. The Dark Side of a Pig

Author's note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Only the story is semi-original. And now, with the disclaimer out of the way, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 16: The Dark Side of a Pig

* * *

"No… please, no… not a monster… don't wanna hurt anymore… make it stop… please…"

"He's been like this almost since I found him," Akari said softly, wringing the hem of her tartan skirt. "He hasn't opened his eyes once, and sometimes he'd thrash from side to side so violently that Katsunishiki had to hold him down…" She looked up, a tear running down her cheek. "What's wrong with him?"

Ryoga lay delirious on the floor in the training hall, his hands bound to his sides with what appeared to be nylon rope dyed gold. Cologne sat at his feet, Akari to his right, near his head. Shingen knelt on the other side of his head and ran his hand over the lost boy's temple, pressing several tsubo points as he did so. A large sumo pig looked on intensely from the side, casting the occasional glance at the panda next to him with an odd hematite pendant around its neck. Nodoka and Soun sat on the other side of the panda, both looking on as the others continued their examination. Ranma stood behind Shingen wearing one of his red shirts and black pants, arms folded. Akane was beside him in a yellow t-shirt and jean shorts, looking at Ryoga with a strange mix of concern, anger and depression that did not go unnoticed by Akari.

"When I found these two," Cologne was saying, "he was flipping between muttering quietly to himself and flailing about the room, screaming at the top of his lungs. He broke a table in the midst of one rant and might have done more if I hadn't used a series of pressure points to put him to sleep."

"It's a good thing you did, Elder," Shingen murmured. "Looks like that may have helped him stabilize himself slightly… but he's far from being out of the woods yet." He shifted his perception, grimacing as he pored over Ryoga's aura patterns. "His own disruption's been spiking like mad, and from what I can tell he's been trying to fight the urgings, but it's turning into a losing battle."

"Buwurrrll?" Genma-panda asked, producing a sign that read LOSING BATTLE?

"Geez, Pops, just change back already, will ya?" Ranma sighed, tossing a nearby kettle into Genma's paws. "Talk about embarrassing…"

"Does this mean Ryoga's going to get sicker?" Akari asked plaintively. "Why?"

"It's a bit of a long story, child," Cologne sighed. "Essentially, the curse he bears… you do know of his curse, do you?" At Akari's nod, the elder continued. "The curse affects not only his body, but eventually his mind and spirit- something even I was hardly aware of until recently. It may be trying to make him do something he wants to do, but in a manner he despises… or it could be pushing him to try and do something he finds repulsive and would not want to do."

"Yeah… that happened to me, too," Ranma chimed in. "I started gettin' these weird thoughts, tellin' me to do something I didn't wanna…"

"And depending on the will of such a curse victim, the urgings could be fought off quite easily… or they may attempt to consume the mind of the cursed party, driving them further into darkness," Shingen finished. He placed a hand on Ryoga's forehead. "He's been trying to fight, but it feels like his will is crumbling pretty fast, and that's causing his body to react in kind. His temperature must be about 103 degrees now."

"Oh, Ryoga…" Akari whimpered, taking his hand in hers.

"Truly a sad state of affairs," Soun murmured from behind her, a solemn look in his eyes.

"Indeed," added a freshly doused Genma, wiping a few drops of hot water off his brow. "Seldom have I seen a martial artist laid out in such a state as his…" He glanced up. "So what happens now?"

"Well, Saotome-san, I think it's pretty obvious what needs to be done," Shingen replied, producing a hematite warding pendant from his jacket and placing it around Ryoga's neck. "Once my newest ward is fully dry, he'll have to be Purged as soon as possible. I've manipulated a few pressure points to alleviate some of the urges, but even with those and a protective pendant, he might still be in a lot of danger." He stood up, snapping his hands forward and arranging his thumbs and index fingers in a triangle pattern. "_Naosu Kousen!_" he intoned, producing a soft ray of golden light that enveloped Ryoga's body. He gasped and twitched once before settling back on the floor and relaxing slowly.

Cologne looked on appraisingly. "Hmm. Very interesting, young man. I've seen several healing techniques in my time, but not one quite the same as that."

"I thought ya only used that trick on battle wounds, Shingen," said Ranma.

"Typically, yes, but the Healing Light is much more than just first aid, Ranma. I'm not expecting it to do much, but it should at least help bring his fever down a little," the taller man replied. "He won't be completely out of the woods until we get that curse demon out of his body."

"When can it be done?" asked Nodoka.

Shingen looked up at the late afternoon sunlight streaming through the dojo doors. "I'd say maybe another hour or so. By then the ward should be dry and attuned."

Genma coughed. "If I may be so bold…"

"Yes, Saotome-san?"

"Well, looking at it from this perspective… young Ryoga does appear to be in a great deal of pain at the moment. So much that if the Purge is executed in his current condition, it is quite conceivable that it could overwhelm him, is it not? I may not have seen what happened when my son's curse was purged, but I'm not deaf, you know. I heard what was happening, and that was happening to someone not nearly as far gone; what would young Ryoga's reaction be, in his current state?"

Akari paled. "You're not saying… this… this whatever-it-is you're talking about could kill my sweetie, could it?"

"I hadn't even thought about that," Soun gasped, wide-eyed. Genma shut his eyes and continued; Nodoka gave him an odd look as he did so, raising an eyebrow.

"Now, far be it for me to dictate how you go about your business, Shingen, but it would seem to me the proper and safe way to treat Ryoga would be to ensure his stability. Get his strength back up, possibly even find some further means to keep the spirit at bay." He nodded to himself with a smirk.

"In addition, you did say you prepared this ward personally, correct? Now, I don't mean to doubt you, but there is always the possibility of human error, even in the most perfectly planned technique. There may be something amiss with it, and it would not be right to subject a youth with his entire future before him until you were sure your technique was right. No, it would behoove you to execute its- and forgive me for saying so- untested power on another, one whose life has already reached its pinnacle and…"

He was abruptly cut off by a galvanized pail smashing him in the forehead, drenching him with cold water.

"Nice going, old man!" Ranma spat. "A whole lotta flowery words and a few twists to scare some of us, an' what it really boils down to is this- you'd rather let the poor sap stew in his aura for a while longer while YOU get yer own curse taken care of at his expense! Oh, sure, it's perfectly fine ta sit back and hover over Ryoga like a freakin' nursing staff while you're sittin' around an' ain't even so much as flinched from yer own infection, isn't it? Is that all ya ever think about? What am I talkin' about, of COURSE that's all ya ever think about, yer own damn well-being at the expense of others! And don't try an' tell me I don't know what I'm talkin' about, I've got my own damn list of incidents to prove it!"

"Genma! How could you?" Nodoka snapped, gripping the saya of her katana a bit tighter. "That boy is lying right there in plain sight, obviously suffering, and you have the gall to think of yourself before him? I thought you were more of a man than that!"

Genma-panda's eyes went as large as dinner plates as a huge sweatdrop ran down his cheek. IT WAS ONLY A THOUGHT, he said via signboard, looking rather sheepish.

"Well, it was a damn selfish thought, Saotome-san," Shingen growled dangerously. "And I don't appreciate being questioned on my own ability; I know what the Spirit Purge can and cannot do and I DAMN well know enough so as not to kill a fellow human being in the process! The fact is, he needs this treatment desperately and I WILL provide it. You and the Amazons have all been warded for over a day, he hasn't been. You can afford to wait until fresh supplies arrive, which hopefully won't be long from now. He can't wait. He needs to be helped. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, do you understand, _husband_?" asked Nodoka icily. The panda glanced around and nodded frantically.

"Good. I'm glad that's settled," Shingen sighed. The dojo doors opened and Kasumi stepped inside.

"How is Ryoga doing? Do you think we need to call Dr. Tofu?" she asked.

"Thanks for the offer, Kasumi-san," Shingen replied, "but I think we've got it under control, more or less. All we need to do now is keep him comfortable until my preparations are complete."

"Well, that's certainly good to hear," said Kasumi with a smile. "Would anyone care for some tea before dinner?"

* * *

"Akane? Are you alright?"

Akane stirred, glancing up from where she sat on the back porch. "Oh, Akari. Sorry, I didn't hear you come out," she said softly. Behind her, she could hear the voices of the others gathered around the table, talking quietly amongst themselves. Dinner had moved into full swing, but she had only lasted a short time before asking to be excused. Several people had given her questioning looks, especially Ranma, to which she had mentioned a need for some fresh air and had stepped out of the shoji doors.

"You seemed a bit troubled in there," Akari pressed, playing with one of her pink-streaked locks of hair as she sat down.

"It's nothing, Akari-chan. I'm okay; I just needed a little space, that's all." Akane looked at the koi pond and heaved a sigh. _Who am I kidding, I'm not okay… I just don't know what to feel, is all._

For a few moments, neither girl said nothing. Akane idly straightened her yellow t-shirt, then rested her elbows on her knees. Akari brushed her skirt with her hands, smoothing out the odd crease here or there.

"Akane… Ryoga told me about what happened."

Akane's expression darkened slightly. She leaned forward, hiding her eyes behind her bangs.

"So… you know, then."

Akari nodded. "About the promise Ranma made not to tell anyone outright… and about what happened when you first found him in his other body."

"And how about the fact he never told me about it, or what he did afterward?" Akane replied, a tad hotly.

"Yes… he told me everything…" She sighed. "And I won't deny, a part of me is upset with him… but after I saw him break down the way he did, and heard the tone in his voice… I can't be mad at him. I just can't… especially not now, when he's sick and beating himself up in his sleep." A lone tear ran down Akari's face.

Akane blinked, the flush leaving her face. "Beating himself up?"

Akari nodded. "Some of what he was saying in there, about making it stop… he was saying it over and over to himself, all day long. Sometimes he was crying, sometimes screaming… I swear, until Granny showed up I was afraid he was going to seriously hurt himself…" She sniffled. "When he told me about what had happened between you and him, long before he and I first met, he wouldn't even look at me. I think… I think he was afraid that I'd lose my temper with him… or push him away…"

"Like I did," Akane murmured. "But… but he never said anything to me, never mentioned the fact that the pig I called 'P-chan' just happened to be him in disguise… he just let the charade continue, let me take him into my…" She paused, looking up at Akari. "I just wish I knew if it was his own mind that told him not to tell me, or the curse. If he'd only told me in the first place, so much garbage might not have happened… but now, I just don't know what to think."

Akari scooted a little closer. "I'm still not sure I understand much about what Granny and Shingen-kun were saying about his condition, or what it has to do with spirits and such. I just know that at heart, he really is a kind man… but he's been alone for so long, he gets confused and doesn't really know how to express his feelings. You know he's lucky if he sees his parents even once a year?"

Akane nodded slowly. _That had to be hard,_ she thought. _I never thought about it- practically growing up as an orphan in his own family…_ "Seems like his whole family keeps getting lost."

"Especially when it comes to the heart," Akari replied. She shifted her position, resting her hands in her lap. "Maybe he didn't tell you about his condition because he was afraid…"

"Afraid of getting beaten up?" said Akane with a humorless laugh.

"No… afraid of being abandoned… afraid of being alone again, of not even having a friend. And then…" She looked into Akane's eyes. "I think he thought that I'd react the way you did once he finished telling me… so instead of waiting for me to throw him out, he ran away himself…" Another sniffle. "I wish I knew of a way to stop him from hurting, Akane-chan. It may not mean much coming from me, but I don't think he intentionally meant to hurt you. I'm not sure he really wants to hurt anyone, not with the way he's been acting all day…"

Akane nodded slowly. _You really are a kind soul, Akari. A lot kinder than I was when I found out… of course, you weren't the one who got lied to so much… but still…_ She sighed, resting her chin on her hands. _Maybe this really is all the curse's fault, or at least partially. He really did look bad in there… and I can't have helped any when I called him a twisted son of a bitch_…

"Akane-chan?"

Akane blinked, looking up. "Oh… sorry, Akari. I just got lost in thought for a moment." She wrung her hands and drew her feet up so that she was sitting cross-legged. Just then the shoji doors slid open.

"Hey, 'kane, ya doing ok?" Ranma asked as he stepped outside with Kasumi hot on his heels.

"I'm fine, Ranma. Akari and I were just talking."

"Are you sure everything's okay, Akane?" Kasumi asked. "You've been awfully quiet all through dinner, and you didn't say much when Cologne and Shingen brought Ryoga into the dojo." She knelt down beside her. "Are you still mad at him?"

Akane sighed. "I don't know… I just don't know right now, oneechan. I thought I was, but then when I saw him bound up and feverish like that… I can't tell yet if I should be mad at him or the curse demon; I mean, I just wish I knew how much was really his own doing. I can't tell anymore…"

"Well, we might be able to find out in a while," said Ranma. "Shingen's getting some of his gear together, said he was going to try and calm Ryoga's aura some more before prepping a new casting circle. Once that's taken care of, then…"

A bloodcurdling scream shattered the early evening air, causing everyone to wince and their eyes to widen. Seconds later the backyard doors of the dojo burst off their mountings and smashed into the outer estate wall. Akari gasped, leaping to her feet as the unmistakable form of Ryoga staggered out of the dojo, his entire body glowing a sickly shade of green. His breathing was harsh, hissing through his clenched teeth as his arms strained at his sides. With a howl, he jerked his head back and pulled, snapping the gold cords restraining him; the sound of the rope breaking was reminiscent of glass shattering, prompting everyone on the back porch to wince again and cover their ears. Ryoga hunched forward, clutching his temples and groaning softly. The pendant tied around his neck slipped loose, falling to the ground.

"Kami, make it stop… stop it, please, I don't want to hear it… not a monster… don't wanna hurt…"

"Ryoga?" said Akari in a shaking voice. "Ryoga, please, it's going to be okay… just calm down…"

The back doors slammed open as wide as they could as just about everyone else in the Tendo household burst onto the back porch, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. Ryoga's head snapped up, glancing in their direction, and both Akari and Akane gasped as they saw the overwhelming fear in his eyes. Faint streaks of red energy were swirling in his pupils and his hands were starting to tremble.

Akari took a hesitant step forward. "Ryoga, sweetie… it's alright… nobody's going to hurt you, we just want to help you…"

Ranma swallowed. "Yeah, man, just calm down an' we'll getcha fixed up in no time. I promise ya."

Ryoga shook his head viciously. "No… get away… please, just get away from me!" He staggered to one side, still clutching his temples. "I… I don't know what's going on… the voice… the pain… I don't even know what I want anymore… can't trust… can't trust me… all I do is wreck things, again and again and again…" He drew in a long, shuddering breath, then looked up; Akane's eyes widened at the sight of tears rolling down his face, almost rivaling one of her father's own sobbing fits. "JUST LEAVE ME BE!" he screamed, charging headlong at the estate wall… and breaking through it without even using the Bakusai Tenketsu, just as Shingen sprang through the crowd and into the backyard.

"What in the Nine Hells just happened?" the Hunter shouted, casting his eyes over the others.

"He broke free of my bindings…" Cologne gasped, glancing at the broken ropes. "Those were Amazon binding cords, capable of restraining a wild tiger without so much as a stretch, and he snapped them like ribbons!"

"Oh, my…" Kasumi murmured. "I hope he isn't planning on doing something drastic…"

"What're we going to do?" Akari whimpered. "We can't just let him run away again, not in his condition!"

"We're not going to let him run away," said Shingen, hefting his naginata over one shoulder. "That infection might be trying to spike, and the longer he fights it, the worse he'll fall when he does succumb. He can't wait any longer; we've got to get that thing out of him NOW." He spun around. "I'm not going to be able to do this solo, not if he's going out of control. Ranma, Akane, you two know about the Purge firsthand. I'll need you both to come with me… and Elder Cologne, too. We may need you to help at a crucial moment, and you did say you wanted to know more in case the others begin to suffer."

"You got it," Ranma replied, cracking his knuckles.

"What he said," Akane added, standing up and brushing off her shorts.

"Alright, then. Let's go!" Shingen spun on one heel and propelled himself into the air, landing easily on the dojo wall and jumping immediately to the rooftops beyond. Ranma and Akane followed suit; Akane wobbled slightly upon landing on the top of the wall, but she quickly recovered and leapt to the next roof like a gazelle. Cologne was right behind them, pogo-sticking over the skyline at an incredible pace.

"Wait!" Akari cried. "I'm going with you, too!" She promptly turned and jumped onto Katsunishiki's back, who had sidled up to her almost as if he had read her thoughts. "Follow them as fast as you can, boy; we're going to go help Ryoga!" The great sumo pig grunted in agreement and charged out of the dojo at breakneck speed… by means of the hole Ryoga had created. Everyone winced as the sound of breaking bricks echoed through the evening air.

Soun stared at the estate wall, but did not cry. Instead, he fainted. Genma collapsed to his knees; Nodoka shook her head in amazement.

"Maybe we should've made Shingen-kun pay a damage deposit," Nabiki sighed.

"When did Akane learn to jump so well?" Kasumi mused, prompting a mass face-fault.

* * *

The chase led them through several residential blocks, with the lost boy choosing to barrel through six more walls in the process- shocking in most cities, but not so to the residents of Nerima who had slowly become used to the random chaos in their ward. His pursuers gained ground on him rapidly, both on the rooftops and the side streets, until they were all practically on top of him. A quick change in direction, coupled by three random turns, and suddenly Ryoga found himself in the abandoned lot where he and Ranma had faced off more than once before. Two broken fridges and a bicycle now made their home there. Ryoga drummed his feet to a halt, gasping for breath and holding the sides of his head. His eyes snapped open at the sound of more feet behind him; the red streaks in his pupils were beginning to spread and his face was twisted with rage.

"Why did you follow me?" he growled before staggering to one side and grappling one of the fridges, lifting it over his head. "I said GET AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He took a quick step and flung the massive white box at the person nearest him, which happened to be Shingen; the next seciond, his naginata blade flashed through the air and cleaved the flying fridge into two pieces, landing on either side of him. Ryoga stared, then cried out angrily as Ranma grappled him from behind, wrenching his left arm behind his back while locking an arm around his neck.

"Forget it, pork butt, you're not gettin' off the hook that easily!" Ranma shouted. "Look, just settle down and get a grip on yourself, we're tryin' to help you out, buddy!"

"BUDDY? YOU?" Ryoga shot back with a humorless laugh before twisting in Ranma's arms and yanking himself free. "That's a laugh, especially coming from you, you son of a bitch! After everything you and I have been through, you have the gall to call me a BUDDY?" Ryoga's fists began flying, prompting Ranma to quickly tumble away and fall into the dodge-block pattern he'd perfected in many of his sparring sessions with Akane.

"You never did anything for me, Ranma! And when you did do something, it was always with your own damn interest in mind, wasn't it? You goddamned glory hound! Always you that had to be the best, and who cares about dumb ol' lost Ryoga anyway!" His eyes flashed pure red as he ducked in for a punch-backfist combo. "_Time for me to take my fair share!_" His fist shot forward… but before it could connect, Ranma's own fist buried itself in his solar plexus, followed by a cross fist to the face. Ryoga staggered back, his knees buckled and he dropped to the ground, the wind knocked out of him.

"Sorry, man," Ranma scowled, "but we can't help ya if you don't shut up and keep still."

"Oh, Ryoga!" Akari lamented. "Ranma-kun, did you really have to hit him so hard?"

"Hey, I wasn't too keen on letting him rant and possibly bean someone with another fridge!"

"Did you see that light in his eyes?" said Akane, darting over and rolling Ryoga onto his back; his eyes had returned to their normal shade but were rolling around in their sockets. "They were bright red, just like yours were when you lost control, Ranma…"

"Yeah, I saw," he murmured. "Poor guy…"

Ryoga began tossing and turning, arms flailing out on either side. "We'll have to keep his strength in check, otherwise the boy will cause no end of trouble," said Cologne sharply as she hopped over to his side and quickly pressed a point high on his sternum, followed by a tap to the side of his head. He stopped twitching and lay back, closing his eyes. "That should help for a short while," the ancient Amazon muttered.

"What was that you just did?" Akane asked.

"The first point reduces strength temporarily. Not quite the same as that old goat Happosai's moxibustion; I can release it once I'm sure he's out of danger. The other point triggers a sleep response, so for the next few minutes, he'll be no more dangerous than a kitten."

Ranma tensed up instantly on hearing the 'k' word. "HEY! D-don't say that w-word, old g-ghoul!"

"Could we focus on the matter at hand here?" Shingen interjected harshly, grabbing six paper wards out of his jacket pockets and flinging them in all directions. Four shot through the air and embedded themselves at each corner of the rectangular lot, while the remaining two affixed themselves midway along the two longer boundaries of the lot. "Even with his strength reduced, we haven't got a whole lot of time; we've got to work fast. I've got to prepare a casting circle first." His hand shot into his jacket and retrieved his tanto. "Ranma, I need you and Akane to scout the area, make sure we aren't going to get surprised, then come back and get ready to help when I ask. The wards I placed may keep things from getting out, but there's no guarantee things aren't going to come in. Elder, if you've got any more binding cord, now might be the time to use it."

"What can I do?" asked Akari as Ranma and Akane darted off to either side of the lot.

"Once the Spirit Purge begins, you can keep low and out of range," he replied with a shake of his head. "I really wish you hadn't tagged along, Miss Unryuu; we're dealing with demonic forces here, and I don't want you caught in the crossfire if you can't fight back."

"We're dealing with my fiancé here," Akari replied, a determined look in her eyes. "I'm not going to just run away at a time when he needs me the most!" Just then, Ryoga started twitching again and groaning in his sleep.

"Looks like there might not be much time left to quibble," Cologne murmured as she produced a second length of gold cord from somewhere on her robe.

"You're right about that," Shingen replied, drawing his tanto out of its sheath and jamming the blade into the ground. "Miss Unryuu, if you want to make yourself useful, get his shirt off." With a quick tug, he drew the edge of the blade in a complete circle, then made five consecutive cuts, scoring a perfect pentagram within the circle.

"Al- alright," Akari stammered. Ryoga began tossing back and forth even harder; she quickly knelt at his side and pushed his shoulders down. His weakened state made it surprisingly easy for her, but he continued to rock his shoulders from one side to the next, and she fumbled with the ties near his shirt collar. "I… I can't get him to stay still, Shingen-kun! The ties won't open!"

"Forget decorum, just rip the damn thing off!" Shingen snapped.

Akari flinched, then swallowed hard and gripped Ryoga's shirt collar tightly. She blushed madly and yanked as hard as she could, tearing his front off completely and exposing his bare chest. Ryoga gasped and tried to push himself up, but Cologne pushed him back down again and began wrapping cord around each of his wrists. Slowly his movement became less violent, almost halting completely just as Ranma completed his tour of the lot and came to a halt next to him. Seconds later, Akane had rejoined the group and Shingen had finished carving six sigils into the casting circle.

"You two see anything?" Shingen asked as he put the tanto away.

Akane shook her head no. "Didn't see or hear a thing," Ranma replied. "Afraid someone's gonna interrupt us or somethin'?"

"Someone or something," the Hunter replied as he, Ranma and Akane picked up Ryoga's limp body and carried him over to the casting circle. "After that imp incident in the dojo, there's no guarantee another one won't visit us while we're busy." Placing him directly over the circle, they quickly arranged his arms and legs in a spreadeagle position; Cologne produced four large nail-like objects and attached two to the cords on his wrists. The other two were quickly tied to his ankles, and within seconds all four nails were driven into the ground by the ancient Amazon. Shingen glanced over each binding and, satisfied that they were secure, produced the purging scroll from inside his jacket. His voice became low and serious as he spoke the preparatory incantation. "Miss Akari, now would be a good time for you to move away," he said as he pressed the ward across Ryoga's chest and struck the appropriate pressure points. Akari nodded nervously, standing up and crossing to the far side of the lot where Katsunishiki sat waiting.

"Wait a minute…"

Ranma's head snapped up. "Huh? What's up, Akane?"

Akane glanced from one side of the lot to the other, her eyes narrowing. "I can hear something… something laughing." She shivered. "And I don't like the way it sounds, either."

Ranma was about to brush it off as part of her imagination, but suddenly froze. His eyes widened. "Hey, you're right… I can hear it, too." An errant gust of wind blew across the lot, rustling some of the taller weeds. "Sounds like it's moving towards us… and there's more than one."

Akane nodded, clenching her fists. "Yeah, I think you're right." Cologne simply stared, a blank look on her face.

"Whatever's out there, we can't let it butt in while I'm doing this," Shingen said in a low voice. "Once I start, I'm not gonna be able to stop or else I could very well kill this guy." The wind began to blow a little faster, the rustling a bit louder… but this time, the rustling had a set pattern to it. A gentle thumping began to echo across the lot, not unlike the padding of feet. Ranma settled into a loose stance, Akane doing the same. The padding was getting nearer by the second, and faint laughter was starting to join in as well. A bead of sweat ran down Ranma's temple; behind him, he could hear the thud of Shingen's throwing knives as they sank into the ground around Ryoga, setting the marks for the hexagram focus point. Just then, three voices piped up at the edge of the lot.

"_Hunters, Hunters come to play! At the closing of the day!" "Shall we leave or shall we stay?" "Let us stay and make them pray!"_

Akane stared as three grotesque giggling imps sprang up from the shadows and leered at them, their green eyes glinting with mischief. "More of those things?" she asked to no one in particular. "That one this morning was bad enough, now there's three of them?"

Ranma cracked his knuckles. "Just means we gotta move three times faster to deal with 'em." He glanced over at Akane. "Can't let them mess with what we're doin', right? Just call it a little more speed training."

Akane nodded, looking back at the new arrivals and smirking. "Might as well make them pay for what the first one did to me."

Several things happened simultaneously. The trio of imps sprung into the lot, darting off in multiple directions. Akane and Ranma lunged forward to face them. Cologne swung her staff in a wide arc and jammed it into the ground, propelling herself high into the air. Shingen's hexagram formed underneath Ryoga and ignited the runes on the purge ward, prompting Ryoga to cry out in pain as ki started to pour into his body. Akari gasped and cringed against Katsunishiki's side. Then the fun began.

"_By the spirits of this world and the power bound in my blood, I invoke the Circle of Purity! Light to darkness, darkness to light, order and chaos in balance…"_ Shingen said, brows knitted in concentration. Ryoga groaned even louder while not more than a few yards away, the three imps cackled and screamed, trying to get past the two teen martial artists before them. Claws and fists flew as both sides traded blows at a hectic pace.

"Interrupt a delicate situation, will you?" Cologne murmured dangerously. "Begone, beast!" She shot to the ground like an arrow, very nearly impaling one of the imps before swinging her cane in a wide arc, catching it across the forehead. It skimmed across the ground, screeched at the old Amazon and scrambled back towards her, trying to claw her face off and bite her at the same time. It quickly decided this was a bad idea when Cologne shoved her bony hand down the imp's throat, then released a bolt of blue energy that blew the back of its head wide open.

"_That which is soiled shall be cleansed, that which is sealed shall be released! In accordance with our bloodline contract, I banish thee and cast thee out!"_

Ranma was dancing with a second cackling imp that was proceeding to swipe at him with the speed of a blender, but while it was fast, Ranma was faster. He grabbed it by the arm and bounced its head off a rock before yanking it back up into the air again. He smirked and tensed his right hand up. _Hope ya don't mind me borrowing yer moves without asking, Shingen, but I know how good this one is, especially since ya hit me with it!_ "JINRAI TEKKEN!" he bellowed, slamming his ki-coated knuckles into the imp's stomach; a low-grade sonic boom echoed through the lot, temporarily drowning out Ryoga's cries as the imp exploded into white light. The wind near the casting circle was beginning to pick up incredibly fast.

"_In the name of the elements and the clan Yamashira, I command you…"_

With a maniacal squeal, the remaining imp launched itself repeatedly at Akane, apparently attempting to rip her flesh and grope her at the same time. Far from attacking head-on, however, Akane was doing something much different; she was bobbing and weaving from side to side, blocking one moment and jumping away the next. In short, she was doing with the imp what Ranma had done with her in the past, and seemed to be enjoying it. "Come on, scale-face, what's the matter, can't even get close enough to cop a feel?" She blinked and chuckled to herself. _I guess it is kind of fun to taunt a foe; no wonder Ranma does it all the time!_ Her thought was quickly interrupted as the frustrated imp dove at her full force; rather than duck away, however, she lunged in and snapped her left knee into the beast's waiting jaw. There was a sickening crack and the imp staggered backwards, and then it was Akane's turn to go on the offensive. The small gray creature's eyes widened and it raised its arms to defend itself, but couldn't move fast enough to escape her flying fists. Two body blows were followed by a punch to the forearm that produced another crack; Akane spun like a mad dervish and whipped her left leg out in a reverse roundhouse kick that sent the imp flying.

She saw it arc towards Ranma, and an odd thought struck her… followed by a wicked grin as she retrieved her favorite weapon. "Hey, Ranma! Pop fly heading your way!"

"_Daichi… Tenkuu… Mizu… Kaji… Kurayami… Hikari…"_

Ranma spun around just in time to catch the broken and battered mischief demon in his arms. He caught sight of his fiancée hefting her mallet in both hands, and almost immediately matched her grin with one of his own. "Heads up, 'kane, cause here comes a knuckleball!" Winding back, he 'pitched' the imp back at her. Seconds later, with a thwack and a screech, the imp proceeded to take a tour of the upper stratosphere courtesy of Air Akane.

She heaved a massive sigh before tossing the mallet aside. "That oughta teach 'em a thing or two," she chuckled, then glanced up. "Ranma, how did you pull off that punch, I thought that was one of Shingen's moves!"

Ranma flashed his usual cocky smile. "I'll tell ya if you tell me where the hell you were hiding that mallet of yours." Akane smirked and was about to reply…

…and then everything exploded in blue-white light. _"TSUIHOU!"_ Shingen bellowed, accompanied by Ryoga's loudest cry of pain yet. Even Cologne winced as the energy cyclone tore through Ryoga's body, pulling every muscle in his arms and legs taut; the bindings on his extremities strained, but held fast as the lost boy was almost lifted off the ground. A cloud of purple-black mist erupted from the glowing ward on his chest, growing larger every second until it was bigger than the nearby sumo pig, whose mistress was rapidly inching her way to the edge of the lot. Suddenly the pressure was released and the great blob of energy tore free from Ryoga, flying through the air until it impacted against the barrier around the lot, tumbling to the ground. Akari's eyes widened and she took another step back; her shoe suddenly lost traction and she tumbled backwards onto her butt.

Akane stared at the pulsing violet mist as it began to rise up. A low rumble seemed to echo from deep within as it rose to new heights, nearly eight feet high if it was an inch. Tendrils snaked out from the middle of the miasma, quickly assuming the form of massive arms and legs. The rumbling continued, and suddenly became quite recognizable. It was laughter… deep, rich baritone laughter that would put a lifetime smoker's voice to shame. Shingen turned to face the new arrival, retrieving his naginata in the process. Ranma sidled up next to Akane, eyes narrowing on the rapidly solidifying purple smoke… and at that moment, it spoke.

"Ahhhh… FINALLY!" The voice was incredibly basso, with wicked mirth echoing in every word. "Boy, does it feel good to be out of that whelp… an amusing toy, but irritatingly adept at getting lost. But _now…_ now I'm free to do as I want, without having to lug _him_ around. And I know what I want…" The vapor roiled a few seconds longer before congealing and taking form. Everybody except Shingen stared at what had finally emerged… an eight-foot tall, vaguely humanoid beast with charcoal skin and a physique that would put Pantyhose Taro's beast form to shame. His muscular arms ended in four-fingered hands, which he clenched into fists as his cloven hooves embedded themselves in the ground with an impressive crunch. The beast wore loose beige trousers that ended just below the knee, and an ancient-style breastplate that was almost straining to keep his massive pectorals contained. No one really noticed this at first, however, as their attention was drawn to the red-eyed boar's head that sat atop the beast's shoulders, replete with a pair of tusks that looked capable of taking a hefty bite out of a steel I-beam.

The demon cast a lingering eye over the humans before him, and grinned. "I've been waiting a long time for this…"

To Be Continued.

* * *

Author's note 3/22/05: Yes, a little cliffhanger for you. This chapter would have gotten way too long if I included the details of their impending confrontation with Ryoga's demon; no fear, the showdown commences next chapter, and another revelation unearths itself. Thank you for all your support; this haphazard work has now broken the 100 review barrier!

Batanga: Thanks, I try to update at a decent speed.

Wonderbee31: There may very well be more problems with both the Kunos in the near future- it just wouldn't be fun if they were off the worry list that easily, right? Yes, Genma did try to weasel into Ryoga's cure, but he forgot who was listening at the time; as for what awaits the lost boy now, stay tuned to find out.

Fotoguy: No, I actually haven't read Kenneth Hagin, though my dad happens to be a preacher. You may be right about future harassments, though whether it is limited to imps is yet to be seen. Stay tuned to find out more about Kuno, and as far as Genma losing control is concerned, who's to say the old fart isn't actually in a compatible synch with his curse? He does seem to like being a panda, after all… and regarding my choice of words, sometimes it's fun to be unconventional. Heh. Glad you like my story so far.

Taro MD: Yeah, Kodachi does need to be committed, but not before a little more fun is had. As for her brother… see previous notes. We haven't seen the last of bokken boy.

Rekka's Angel: Thank you for your support, and I hope the latest chapter meets your expectations.

TheWhiteMonk: Thank you very much. I don't know how well I'm portraying Akari, having only read a character bio on her and several renditions in other fanfics, but hopefully her caring and understanding nature is reflected herein.

The-shadow002: Glad you liked the last chapter, I figured it was time for them to get serious in their training and I feel Genma fully deserved what he got. And if I have my way, he'll get more of the same… I do have a few more moves up Shingen's sleeve, hopefully you'll get a kick out of them.

Tendo Nabiki-chan: Thanks again for your support; looking forward to seeing the completed fanart. I'm still quite honored you chose my little OC to do a picture of; thank you.

Judah: Yeah, I got a feeling I might be overusing the phrase a bit. It's meant to reflect on the Shinto belief of lesser gods, or kami, in all things, with the Greater Kami watching over all. It's something I've seen in other fanfics, so it is not without precedent. I do appreciate your comment and will try harder in future not to pepper every chapter with it.

Misakichi1: Thank you for the complement, I'm glad you're enjoying my little jaunt into the Ranmaverse. I hope this installment was enjoyable.

Thanks again to everyone who's read my work and reviewed. I will be taking a short hiatus since Easter is coming up, but I've already got certain key points of my next chapter brewing. I'll probably update sometime within the next two weeks. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	17. Roast Pork and Revelations

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I hope everyone had a pleasant Easter weekend and now that I've had a little time to rest, back to the story. Enjoy!

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 17: Roast Pork and Revelations

* * *

A pair of ruby eyes cast a bemused glance over the three martial artists before them and the elderly Amazon who huddled near the collapsed body of Ryoga. "I suppose I'm indebted to you, in a way," the owner of the eyes laughed haughtily. "You really have no idea how annoying it is being trapped in the body of someone who gets lost in a one-room cabin, regardless of how fun it is to toy with his mind. Oh, and it was fun indeed…" The giant boar's-head ogre grinned, running his tongue over numerous razor-sharp teeth. "It was so _easy_ to drop his inhibitions a notch, especially when you agree with his own viewpoints or desires… or even distort them a teeny bit."

"Ya mean you used him like a puppet," Ranma growled. The demon glanced in his direction and snorted derisively.

"I wouldn't say that… I just gave him the odd prod in a certain direction," he sneered. "Such a lonely boy, too… shares two great passions with me. The fight, and the hunt… and now that I don't have to put up with him, I can pursue those passions no end." The beast looked at Akane's shocked face and grinned, flexing his gargantuan arms and eying her lustily. "Ah, little Akane… take a good long look. Your P-chan's all grown up." Another flex of the beast's prodigious muscles, and Akane's shock drained away, replaced by anger and no small amount of disgust.

"Don't you dare remind me of that, you… you… whatever it is you are!" she snapped, clenching her fists. "That pig is dead to me now! And where the hell do you get off saying you can 'pursue your passions no end'? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Akane, calm down," Ranma hissed. "Remember what I told you about losing yer cool?"

The boar-man chuckled. "Such a feisty temper, too. Just like I remember… and as for my passions, it's really quite simple." His expression became darker, more menacing. "I want what I want when I want it, and what I want is battle… and pleasure. The former I got through the boy's need for revenge, which was quite easy to nurse… not so for the pleasure. He'd accept the odd nudge, but anything more than that… just a waste of time. But now it would appear I'll have my fill of both before this night is through, once I've gotten the boys out of the way," he glowered, staring at Ranma and the unconscious Ryoga. His gaxe then traveled just over his shoulder, towards the now-terrified Akari. "Yes… this will be so much fun, won't it, dear Akari-chan?"

"Typical trail of thought for you, Spirit of Avarice," said Shingen in a low voice as he lowered his naginata into a ready stance. "You seem to forget that you haven't won the fight yet."

"Spirit of Avarice?" Akane asked.

"A Greed Demon," Shingen replied with a nod. "Always wanting more, never satisfied. Of course, what it wants varies from one demon to another."

The beast made a mocking bow. "Guilty as charged," he said with a smirk. "Now, Hunter dogs, shall we cut the chatter and have ourselves some fun?"

Shingen nodded sharply. "Somebody get Hibiki out of the lot; with his ki at rock bottom he'll just be a liability to us," he said to the others in a low voice. Before them, the demon began cracking his knuckles. "Akane, maybe you and Elder Cologne should both take him and…"

"I know what you're about to say, Shingen, and you can forget it; I'm staying," Akane interrupted. "And don't tell me otherwise, I'm going to fight and that's that!"

Ranma blinked. "Akane…"

"I know what I'm doing," she said in a low tone, her eyes steely. _Ranma, don't you dare tell me to leave; I know I can't really do much to beat this thing, but I've got to do something! I can't just let you and Shingen take all the risks and possibly get killed in the process. I told you I want to help out for a change… and besides, I want my own pound of flesh out of this thing. It's personal now._ She glanced at Ranma, almost daring him to make one of his usual cracks about being a klutz, or a slowpoke, or a macho uncute tomboy.

Surprisingly, he didn't say anything. He just stared at her for a moment, blinked once, then smiled slightly and gave her a minute nod.

"Whatever you say," Shingen said with a shrug of his shoulders… and a slight smile of his own. "Elder, if you can, get Hibiki to a safe place before…"

"Enough of this banter, LET'S RUMBLE!" the demon bellowed, yanking his left fist high in the air and driving it into the earth. A ripple of ki blasted through the ground, tearing soil and rock to pieces and expelling them into the air in exorbitant quantities. Shingen, Akane and Ranma were all knocked backwards as the earth was literally torn out from under their feet, while Cologne bounded across the airborne clods of earth like a flea on a griddle, somehow managing to drag Ryoga with her in the process. Akari screamed and huddled next to her faithful sumo pig, just outside the perimeter of the demon-induced explosion. In seconds, Cologne and the near-lifeless Ryoga were by her side.

"Oh, YEAH!" the pig-man shouted, lifting both fists to the sky. "Now THAT'S the way to cut loose!" The beast spun around, grinned and stomped towards Akari and the others, thrusting his left hand forward to try and seixe her. As he came to the edge of the lot, there was a sudden flaring of ki and he growled in pain as his hand impacted the barrier Shingen had placed. "Hm. That's annoying. Damn barrier wards," he grunted. "Oh well, ain't no barrier I can't break, 'specially if it means I can have you all to myself, Akari-chan," he added with a leer as he began to punch the barrier… then stopped abruptly as a series of throwing knives embedded themselves across his shoulders and smoke began to pour from the wounds. Two knives jammed themselves into one of the straps holding his breastplate up, shearing the fabric partially.

"You're forgetting something, demon filth," Shingen said icily as Akane and Ranma stood up behind him, brushing themselves off. "A little earthquake never stopped a Hunter before. Now, let's dance."

The beast growled and charged forward, his eyes glowing deep crimson. He jabbed forward with his right fist, which Shingen easily avoided as he ducked in and spun in a circle, swinging his naginata. The blade screeched across the demon's breastplate, sending sparks flying but accomplishing little else. Shingen quickly twirled the polearm in his hands and slammed it upward, cracking the demon across the jaw. Pulling back for a second, he shoved his left hand into his jacket and retrieved four more daggers, but suddenly had to go on the defensive as the beast lunged at him again. Massive fists collided with a rapidly spinning naginata for about five seconds before the beast reached in, grabbed the naginata just below the blade and slammed Shingen across the face with his free hand. The Hunter flew back several feet while the beast shook his hand vigorously, smoke rising from the spot where he had grabbed the polearm.

Pig-man spun around just in time to see Ranma darting into the fray. "Ya think you're so tough, huh? You talk big, ya bastard, but I don't see you backing it up with any real skill!" With a fierce battle cry, Pig-man responded with a swift punch to Ranma's face- then blinked as the fist passed right over his now red-tinted hair; Ranma had shifted to his smaller girl form at the last possible second, and began to press the advantage. With blinding speed, she executed a series of punches and kicks that Pig-man was barely able to block, until, with a grunt of exasperation, he launched another straight punch at the redhead's body. Ranma-chan promptly jumped on top of the demon's wrist and ran up his arm, pausing just long enough to drive a roundhouse kick across his jaw line. "Ya got no real skill, yer just a puncher, aintcha? Well, try a few dozen for yourself; KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" The redhead began slamming her right fist into the top of the demon's head so fast one would think a jackhammer was being used, but seconds later Pig-man had reached up and grabbed Ranma-chan around the waist, flinging her off his shoulders and to the ground. The demon shook his head in agony, and then glared as Ranma shifted back to his normal body and Shingen sprang to his feet. With a bestial cry, twin bursts of energy shot forth from his eyes, catching Shingen across the shoulder and knocking the breath out of Ranma's body. Both warriors flew backwards several feet and hit the ground hard.

"Looks like you two know how to put up a fight," Pig-man sneered. "But how long you think you can hold out before I beat you both into a bloody mess?" he added, licking his fangs.

"HEY! I think you're forgetting someone!"

The demon raised an eyebrow and began to snicker, turning towards a now-furious Akane. "You think I'd forget about you, Akane-chan?" he chuckled. "Please, don't make me laugh; what could a helpless girl like you possibly do to me?"

Akane took a deep breath as a bright blue aura enveloped her body- blue tinged with flecks of gold. "You really think I'm helpless? What do you know, you haven't tried me yet! How do you know what I can and can't do if you don't even bother to fight this 'helpless girl'?"

"Akane… don't…" Ranma gasped as he struggled to his feet. Pig-man had begun laughing.

"Very well, if you really want to _prove_ yourself so damn much," he guffawed. "Fine, then. Take a shot, if you really want. I'll even pull my punches a bit." He had barely finished speaking before Akane broke into a dead run, winding back in preparation to attack.

"No… what're you doing, you crazy tomboy!" Ranma shouted, straightening out and pushing the pain away. _You dummy, Akane, you're telegraphing your moves again! That thing's gonna clobber you! Didn't you listen to anything I taught you?_ Ranma clenched his teeth and started to run.

"That's it, come to papa…" the demon purred, punching forward…

Akane shifted and dropped into a modified baseball slide…

Pig-man blinked as his fist passed right over her head…

Ranma stared as Akane's mallet came into view, shining brilliant gold… and grinned from ear to ear as she swung the mallet upwards, catching the beast directly in the crotch as she continued to slide past his legs. The demon screamed in agony, doubling over for a brief moment before spinning around and glaring at a smirking Akane with fire in his eyes. "YOU… LITTLE… BITCH!" With a roar, he slammed his right fist forward again, but this time Akane dodged to one side and flung both her arms around his wrist, spinning and yanking at the same time, pulling the demon off balance and causing him to fall on his face. In the blink of an eye Akane was airborne; she flipped once in the air and snapped her right foot out, kicking Pig-man in the back of the head as hard as she possibly could. A strangled groan erupted from the beast's throat, causing her to grin triumphantly, then pull back and slam her knuckles in between his shoulder blades for good measure.

The punch, however, seemed to incite the beast's rage more than it reduced his fighting capacity. With a roar, he scrambled upright, throwing Akane into the air in the process. Her smile evaporated quickly as she caught a glimpse of flames literally oozing from his eyes; gritting her teeth, she spun herself in midair and smashed her left foot across Pig-man's face. He flinched, but only slightly, before swinging his right hand in an arc and slapping Akane across the midsection with an open palm strike. Her eyes snapped open wide as the breath was knocked out of her lungs, and her entire body went limp as she fell to the ground, only impeded by Ranma's arms breaking her fall.

"Ouch…" she gasped, clutching her stomach as Ranma lowered her to the ground gently. "Guess… I'm still a… bit of a klutz…"

"Stupid tomboy, why'd you have to try and take him on solo like that?" There was a definite harshness in his words that made her wince, but she could also hear the genuine concern in his voice. "That was a hell of a nice cheap shot, I'll give ya that, but you didn't have to try and follow up by taking him head-on by yourself!" Looking up, Akane was shocked to see a haunted look in his eyes, which quickly turned to fury as he shot a wicked glare at the demon, who had started laughing again.

"You think I was just going to stand off to the side and not do anything, baka?" she coughed. "I thought the reason we were training was so I could help you out…"

"Yeah, I know, but…"

"But nothing! This isn't just your fight, it's our fight, and…"

"Yeah, OUR fight, which means ya shouldn't have jumped in by yourself; dammit, that's exactly why we lost to Natsume and Kurumi the first time! You think I wanna go through that again? Huh?"

"Aw, look at the little lovebirds, all wrapped up in each other; isn't it cute?" Pig-man snorted derisively. "You know, I was going to claim you as mine once this was over, girl, but now I think I'll have to punish you instead. You and your pig-tailed knight over there can both choke on your own blood for all I care!"

"Like I'm gonna let you near her again, ya bastard!" Ranma snarled, jumping to his feet as reddish ki flared around his body, gathering between his hands until it pulsed and throbbed with power. "Time for a little barbecued pork, if ya ask me! MOKO TAKABISHA!"

A torrent of energy burst from his outstretched palms, blazing over the ground and smashing into the demon. Light exploded in all directions as Pig-man became engulfed by the fiery-hot ki; Ranma could barely make out the beast's silhouette cringing and grunting with pain, dropping to one knee. Sweat poured down Ranma's temples as he sustained the blast a few seconds longer, then dropped his hands and fell into his loose fighting stance once more. Pig-man was down to one knee, and there were several charred patches visible on his shoulders and breastplate.

The demon's head snapped up, and Ranma's eyes went wide as he saw his opponent's porcine grin.

"Nice shot, boy… but I'm not done yet. Take THIS!" Pig-man snapped upright, thrusting his left arm forward. A quick flash suddenly became an ear-shattering scream as a bolt of dark purple energy erupted from the beast's palm… power Ranma had seldom seen, much less felt before. He barely had time to jump in front of Akane's body, arms outstretched in a desperate block, before the beam of ki was upon them both. He could feel his own aura flaring, focusing in his arms, extending outward into a protective shield; he only prayed it would be enough. Then suddenly the dark energy was slamming him backward, impeded by his own ki but still impacting his body with force that rivaled Ryoga's own imperfect Shishi Hokodan. It tore at him relentlessly, over and over until his aura faltered and gave way… then there was incredible, searing pain… until finally both he and Akane were knocked backwards once more and collapsed in a stunned heap.

Almost immediately, Ranma tried to sit back up, but could only manage so much before falling back onto his elbows. A soft groan and several coughs at his side told him Akane wasn't faring much better. _Dammit, this isn't good,_ he thought angrily to himself. _I thought we had that guy beat… that was one helluva blast he pulled off, but it probably coulda been worse._ Ranma gritted his teeth against the pain and pulled himself upright, rolling Akane up as well. _Guy's just a hard puncher, is all… gotta hit him faster and harder at the same time, before the freak winds up pounding us into the ground!_ He hugged Akane to him, trying to scrabble up into a defensible position. He didn't realize it, but his aura had extended from his body once more and was beginning to mingle with hers… and was glowing bright gold.

"It's really not gonna do you any good to keep running," Pig-man chortled. "Guess I might as well finish you off before you can bug me again," he added, lifting his right arm up in the air. Violet energy began to boil around his outstretched fist…

"SEKKAI KATTO SUTORAIKI!"

The demon's eyes widened as the sound of metal shearing through metal reached everyone's ears; the next second, Shingen bounded high into the air from behind the demon, his naginata blade glowing brilliant gold as he flipped twice in the air, turned and descended in front of Pig-man's face. The blade slashed downward and another screech ripped through the air as the Hunter cleaved a second vertical cut through the demon's breastplate, which promptly split and fell apart in several massive chunks.

"You're obviously very forgetful, hellspawn," Shingen mused before glancing at the two teens behind him. "You both fought well, my friends; now let me finish him off."

Without waiting for a reply, Shingen flipped his right hand forward. Four silver slivers flashed across the lot and embedded themselves in Pig-man's face, causing him to roar in pain and claw at the offending items. The next second, Shingen literally became a blur as he darted low and swung upwards with his polearm, scoring a wicked gouge across the now-unarmored belly of the beast. Again and again he swung his weapon in a a figure 8 pattern, carving chunks out of Pig-man's chest, stomach and both forearms, while all the beast could do was block and dodge. White ichors began to spill across the earth, dripping from the demon's newest wounds while the old ones slowly attempted to seal themselves. Ranma stared in amazement as he pushed himself to his feet, Akane following him quickly; oddly enough, neither of them seemed to notice any lingering pain from the demon's previous attack.

"You damn Hunter dog, you were holding back!" the demon sneered, attempting a series of quick punches which Shingen dodged and blocked with blinding speed. Suddenly he darted in and jammed his elbow into Pig-man's abdomen, followed by the butt of his naginata cracking across the fang-filled jaw and breaking at least two teeth. The beast staggered and failed to see Shingen fling his polearm to one side and leap high into the air; he snapped his gloved hands in front of his face, making several sharp gestures as he ascended. The pentagram sigils on the backs of his gloves glowed white-hot as he extended the first three fingers on his right hand.

"Never play all your cards early on, filth," Shingen shouted as white-gold ki enveloped his right hand. "Now, let's see how well you deal with this! KONPAKU KAKI BAKUHA!"

His right hand snapped forward, unleashing a tremendous beam of gold energy that cut through the air and slammed into the demon's body like a heavenly lance before engulfing him in an explosion of white light. The demon bellowed as the ki attack seared his body with a force at least twice that of Ranma's own attack, while all Ranma and Akane could do was stare. With one last squeal of anguish, Pig-man fell to his knees just as the attack stopped and Shingen's feet hit the ground behind him. The Hunter spun around and grabbed his naginata, then raised an eyebrow as the beast roared angrily and scrambled to his feet once more. The eight foot monster was obviously in a great deal of pain, but his inner rage seemed to be compensating as he flexed his burned arms and clenched his fists. His head whipped around to glare at Shingen, when he noticed a sudden blur of movement on the periphery of his vision. Seconds later, the beast lay sprawled on his back, gasping from the pain induced by a fierce double attack- Akane's ubiquitous mallet to his gut, followed up by Ranma's right foot crushing his jaw with a powerful high kick. Off to the side of the lot, Akari trembled and hugged a still-unconscious Ryoga to herself.

"You little bastards," the demon groaned. "This wasn't supposed to happen… this fight, these girls, the glory was MINE! IT WAS MEANT FOR ME TO TAKE!"

"Always wanting more, eh?" said Shingen coldly as he jammed his boot heels into the demon's chest, eliciting a snarl of pain as he raised his naginata high. "Go fight all you want back in Hell, pigface. TENBATSU!"

The blade struck home in the chest, turning night to day as white light exploded across the lot. Unearthly shrieks rent the air as the boar's head ogre was consumed by positive ki, burning him from the inside out and tearing his body to shreds. Akane and Ranma both shielded their eyes and ears against the tidal wave of energy; Cologne did likewise as Akari shrieked and spun around, turning her back to the lot and pulling Ryoga with her. The shriek grew in intensity until Ranma thought his ears were going to bleed, then abruptly faded and was replaced by a rushing of wind. In seconds, all that remained of the beast was a cloud of silver-white dust that whirled and danced in a madcap fashion before bursting in all directions. A quick swipe of Shingen's naginata and the particles flung themselves far and wide, vanishing into the night sky.

There was no remaining trace of Pig-man left anywhere in the lot.

* * *

"Will he be okay? He sounded like he was in so much pain…" _Who's there? Is… is that Akari? Or am I just dreaming…_

"Ah, don't worry 'bout him. He'll come out of it soon enough, he's prob'ly just really drained at the moment. I know… I've been there." _Wait a second… was that Ranma? Where the hell did…_

"That thing you fought… was that really what was causing his nightmares?" _That is Akari, I'm sure of it… but why? Why would she be… and what's with her voice? She sounds scared…_

"Among other things." _What the… wait, whose voice is that? He sounds familiar… what's going on?_ "He'll be okay, Miss Unryuu. His ki just needs a little time to recover now that the infection is gone."

_Dammit, what is all this? Where am I?_

Ryoga moaned, tossing his head from one side to another. His eyes fluttered briefly, then closed again. One hand flexed, bunching his fingers into a fist and then relaxing again.

"I think he's coming out of it."

"Ryoga? Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Ugghh… whrr… hunh…" was all the lost boy could manage before rolling his head back again, eyes vacant. Someone sighed testily.

"C'mon, man, quit lyin' around an' snap out of it already!" Ryoga stirred, trying to make sense of Ranma's outburst, but was promptly interrupted by a glass of cold water to the face. His eyes promptly snapped open and zeroed in on the holder of the offending glass, who was standing over him with a strange look on his face. Had Ryoga been in a better frame of mind, he might have seen it as a concerned smile. As it was, all he saw was a smirk.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" Ryoga bellowed, lurching off the floor and grabbing Ranma by the collar. "Trying to have a little more fun at my expense, Ranma? Haven't you done enough already?"

Ranma shot him a half-lidded look of exasperation. "Maybe I just figured you needed to _cool down_ a little bit… get it yet, ya dummy?" he groaned, banging the lost boy on the head with an open palm.

"Cool down? What're you…" Ryoga trailed off. He blinked twice, noticing for the first time that he was lying on the Dojo floor, then touched the side of his face which was still dripping. _That… that was cool water… and… and I'm not…_ His eyes widened, traveling back up to meet Ranma's. "How… I mean, I didn't… I'm still…" He paused, then narrowed his eyes. "What'd you do, beat me up and then give me a bath in waterproof soap or something?" he asked, noting for the first time his complete lack of a shirt.

"More like 'or something', ol' buddy," Ranma sighed. "Guess it was too much to expect ya to be grateful or anything."

"Grateful?"

"That damn curse of yers was goin' out of control, man. Just like mine might've done…"

"W-wait a minute," Ryoga stammered, pulling himself up a short distance. "What do you mean the curse was going out of control?"

"Sweetie, please, don't push yourself; you need to get your strength back." A gentle pressure on his shoulder reminded him that Akari was sitting right next to him, concern and tenderness written all over her face. Ryoga blinked and what remained of his anger rapidly left his face.

"What he means, Hibiki, is the energies that caused you to be cursed were trying to take over your spirit," said the third voice. Ryoga turned to his right and blanched at the sight of Shingen kneeling next to him. "To make a long story short, the curses are a lot more than they first appear- each one is connected to a demon. Looks like we got you just in time; if we hadn't gotten it out of you, you might've become permanently trapped in curse-induced dementia."

Ryoga was silent for a few moments. "Induced dementia… you mean…"

"You were going over the edge, Ryoga," Ranma said. "Like he said, we took care of it. Got it out of ya before it killed ya or something. Now don't say I never did nuthin' for ya, man."

"So all those dreams, and those fits he was in, they won't come back?" Akari asked.

"Not likely," Shingen said. "We brought down the beast that was in him; you saw it yourself."

"The beast…" Ryoga mumbled. "You mean all this time, there was some kind of thing inside of me? Trying to take over my mind? Is _that_ why I kept having dreams about things laughing at me? Or why…" He gulped, not daring to look at Akari. "Why I… I did some of the things I…"

"Hey, I dunno what that thing tried ta do to you," Ranma replied, folding his arms. "Maybe it made ya do some stupid junk, or maybe it was yer own idea, I can't tell ya because I ain't you." He bent down and picked up another glass of water. "All I do know is, with that thing outta yer system, you won't hafta worry about things like this anymore," he continued, pointing to the glass and splashing some more water on Ryoga before pouring some on his own head. Ryoga's eyes nearly popped out as both he and Ranma refused to transform. "Fact is, I knocked ya in by accident. Least I could do was help get it outta you. Congratulations, Ryoga, yer cured."

Ryoga shook his head. _He did this? He actually cured his curse and then mine as well? This is too much… even after everything that happened between him and me, all the times I tried to bash his head in or… or push him and Akane apart… or especially when I said what I did to that Shingen guy and almost got him killed, he still went and helped me out? Great Kami, have I been wrong about you all this time? After all the trouble I've been… you help cure me?_ He coughed. "I… I can't believe it… I don't deserve this sort of kindness… not after what I did, or the things I said… I don't know what to say…"

"Well, I would say a thank-you would be a good start, Hibiki," said Shingen. "It wasn't very easy fighting and dispelling the demon once the three of us got it out; he really put himself on the line out there."

"He did?" Ryoga glanced at Ranma again, then did a double-take. "Wait, the _three_ of you?"

Ranma nodded. "Me, Shingen an' Akane. Took all of us to do it."

Ryoga froze. "A-Akane?"

"Ya needed help, man, all of us could tell. An' to be honest, she did a lot more than I expected. But I ain't gonna lie, she's still pretty upset with ya."

"She's not the only one," Shingen added with a hint of ice. "I still haven't forgotten our little misunderstanding, Hibiki… admittedly I was mostly to blame, but it was your words that prompted me to draw steel on Ranma here."

Ryoga nodded, a shameful look on his face. "Yeah… I know," he muttered. "I wish I'd never said any of it now… or a bunch of other things, either." He shifted on the floor and hunched over his knees, not talking to any one person in particular.. "All this time I accused Ranma of being honorless, and there I was pulling crap behind his back… lying to people who deserved better… all because I wanted something I didn't have. I mean, I knew I was making a mistake with some of what I was doing, but I felt so validated at the same time… and I'd hear little words of encouragement sometimes, telling me I was doing the right thing, I thought for sure that was my conscience speaking to me…" He looked up, a tear rolling down his cheek. "But it wasn't, was it? Was it this… this demon-thing you were talking about? Was that what led me to think it was okay to… to…" His words stuck in his throat as he hunched over further and began to cry. "What have I done?"

"Ryoga… it's okay. It's going to be alright," Akari whispered to him, gently rubbing his back. "You made a mistake, that's all. We will still have to talk about it, but please, don't keep beating yourself up in your sleep. Or when you're awake, either. It's over. You can start over."

Ranma knelt down next to him, giving Ryoga's shoulder a friendly pat or two. "Just remember, buddy… we're even now."

Ryoga heaved a long breath, then looked up again. "You really mean that?" he asked. "You're not just saying it? You really think I'm… I'm a buddy?"

"Best sparring partner I ever had. I'd hate ta lose that, bacon breath," he replied with a chuckle. Ryoga shot him a dirty look, but chuckled a bit himself. "Just try ta keep that temper under control a bit, ok? And don't forget, ya got someone else ya need to apologize to."

"I know," Ryoga said with a flinch. "Believe me, I know that all too well." He looked over at Akari. "Several someones, actually," he added, shaking his head. Akari looked back at him with warm eyes and brushed a tear off his cheek.

"And ya might think of laying off on the 'Ranma, prepare to die' speech," Ranma added. Ryoga glanced back and gave him a wry look.

"We'll see about that, Ranma…" He paused, then smiled weakly. "Um… Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

"…Thank you."

"No prob."

* * *

"You feeling okay?" Ranma asked as he closed the door.

"Yeah, I guess so," said Akane, sitting up on her bed. "He's doing alright, I take it."

"Last I saw him, Shingen was lookin' over his aura and he was talking with Akari." He paused, then padded across the room to sit at her desk. "He was angry at first, when he woke up, but once I told him what happened he calmed down pretty quick."

"Good," Akane replied, toying idly with the sheets. She glanced away, staring at a spot on the wall.

"Um… you wanna go see him now?"

"Not tonight, no. I… I don't really know what I'd say yet."

A moment passed where neither of them said anything.

"He sounded pretty upset with himself, Akane…"

"After what he did, I hope so."

"Look, you have every right ta be mad at the guy, but I hope you're not gonna keep holdin' it over him; it wasn't all his fault, anyway."

"I know that, Ranma, you think I haven't been thinking about that ever since Akari and I had our talk? It's just… I can't help but think of all the things he pulled over both of us! Gods, he could've wound up pushing us apart for good through that curse of his!"

"Yeah, I know… I know. But he did just about admit the curse mighta told him he was doing the right thing. Now that his own 'infection' is out of him, I think he'll be lucky if he doesn't go around berating himself fer the next week and a half. Ya didn't see the look on his face when he realized what was in his head."

Akane looked up. "Was it that bad?"

"Yeah… I think ye'll be getting one hell of an apology from him tomorrow. Assuming he can find his way out of the dojo, that is."

Akane sighed. "And what about things between the two of you?"

"That I dunno… hopefully he ain't gonna keep trying to beat me up anymore. Sure, I don't like what he did, but there's been a time or two he was a stand-up guy… an' he has helped both of us, even if his reasons why were a little off."

"So you're forgiving him?"

"Well… maybe later. Right now I just wanna bury the hatchet. I'm sick of fighting him if there's no reason."

Akane sighed, then gave Ranma a wan smile. "Well, if he _does_ apologize… and not just to me, either… maybe I can try to bury the hatchet, too." Her features hardened for a moment as she continued. "It'll still take me a bit longer to fully forgive him, I hope you know."

Ranma moved to sit on the bed beside her, putting one arm around her back and giving her a gentle squeeze. "I know, Acchan. I know it'll take a while… and believe me, he knows what I'll do if he tries pullin' that crap on us again."

Akane blinked and glanced up into his eyes. "Acchan?"

Ranma blinked himself, then turned beet-red and looked away, removing his arm from her back as he did so. "Uh… sorry, that just kinda came outta nowhere… if ya don't like it, I won't…" His voice stopped working as Akane giggled and took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together.

"Baka," she murmured tenderly. "You don't have to act like I'm going to hit you or anything." He looked up at her, noticing a faint sparkle in her eyes. "I like it."

"R-really?"

"Uh-huh." She paused, then smirked. "Does this mean I get to call you Ran-chan?"

Ranma rolled his eyes, then smiled. "Only if ya really want to." Akane giggled, then leaned up and gave him a peck on the lips. He returned it readily, brushing a hand across her cheek and drawing her in for a deeper kiss, which she accepted with a soft sigh. His left arm tightened around her shoulders after a moment and she winced, breaking the kiss off with a gasp.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Ranma… sorry, it just felt a little tight…"

He frowned. "Still sore, aren't ya?" Akane looked up and nodded slightly. "Yeah, I was afraid ya might be… especially after the way that eight-foot freak slapped you around."

"I know, that… that thing hit pretty hard. Guess I should've moved a bit faster." She looked off to one side and sighed, then glanced up at the sound of knuckles rapping on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me. I need to talk to you."

"Just a moment." Akane straightened up and eased reluctantly out of Ranma's loose embrace before padding to the door and opening it. Shingen stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"More or less. Hibiki's aura looks pretty stable right now, but I think he nearly fainted when I told him about one lingering side effect."

"Side effect?" Ranma asked. "Whaddya mean?"

Shingen folded his arms and sighed. "Transformational aspect. Looks like it's stuck in his aura just like yours is, my friend."

Akane stared. "What? Don't tell me that means…"

"That he could still transform? Possibly. I'm not sure; all I know is what I saw. I hope it isn't going to be like this with every single Purge…"

"Maybe it was one of those imps that did it?"

"I doubt it, Akane. I wasn't stopped in the middle of the Purge, thanks to you two and the Elder. Either there's something amiss with the procedure altogether, or something bound the transformation to their auras beforehand. I'm hoping it's the latter… but it would have to be something both of you were afflicted with; the pattern bind looked almost identical to Ranma's."

Ranma shook his head and groaned. "It's gotta be that stinkin' Chisuitton; he got hit with it just like I did, back when Herb showed up." He paused. "Come to think of it, I think Mousse got hit too…"

Shingen nodded. "I may have to find out some more about this Chisuitton, then… but that's not important right now." He walked over to Akane's desk and leaned against it. "First off, I have to tell you that I was pretty impressed with how you handled that avarice demon this evening- especially you, Akane."

"Yeah, those were some nice hits ya got in, even if ya had to scare me to death in the process an' almost got clobbered when ya let your guard down."

Akane glared at Ranma. _You don't have to rub it in, you know…_ she thought. "Well, excuse me for not being on guard; I didn't expect it to be as fast as it was!"

"Just because something's big don't mean it ain't fast and tough, too; remember when I first fought Taro in his beast body? Guy practically wiped the grass with all of us!"

"Okay, so I made a mistake and didn't get away fast enough; it's not like I fight these things as often as you do, Ranma!"

"Just…" Ranma paused, taking a deep breath and exhaling it in a heavy sigh. "Look, I wasn't expecting ya to have to deal with something like this, that's all. Kami, we only just started your training a few days ago an' then you go and join in on a demon beatdown. I wasn't expecting that… I didn't know if I'd taught ya anything useful yet… I dunno, I just…" He looked away, and Akane could see the haunted look in his eyes again.

Her face softened. "Never mind, baka," she said gently. "I know what you're trying to say."

Ranma looked up again. "Still… ya did do a good job out there, Acchan. Might need to work on your defense some… but for what we were dealin' with… ya did okay."

"I agree," said Shingen with a nod. "Though it would have helped if you were more capable of tapping into ki techniques than you currently are. I'm actually not too surprised that you can use the Zaimoku-ken, even if it is somewhat undeveloped."

Both Ranma and Akane blinked and stared at him.

"Zaimoku-ken?" Akane asked. "Timber strike? What are you talking about? And what was that about ki attacks, I… I can't do those… well, not yet."

"That weapon you produced," Shingen replied. "The mallet. I probably should have realized you were using that technique when you pounded Hibiki with it on Monday."

"Her mallet?"

Shingen nodded. "Zaimoku-ken, like I said. It's an old martial art designed to ensure availability of a weapon at all times; it doesn't register as a ki technique, but it can only procure wooden weapons- primarily due to wood's affinity to nature and life force, and subsequently ki energy. I understand several schools in Japan and China have variants on the technique." He promptly thrust his right arm behind his back; a quick movement, and Shingen had drawn a nondescript bokken from thin air. He let go of the bokken, and it clattered to the floor before disappearing once more. Both teens in front of him stared. "Personally, I prefer not to use it."

"So that's how she hid that damn thing… I thought that was just some sort of hidden weapon skill! Where the hell didja learn something like that, 'kane?"

Akane looked at the floor, her face flushed. "Uh… well, actually, there's this really old scroll in the dojo. It's just about the only secret technique scroll of the Tendo school I was ever able to find. It talked about something called the Loyal Hammer, it never said Zaimoku-ken… I was just twelve, I was curious… fact is, I thought it was a hidden weapons maneuver, too. I never actually thought about it much… I just always seemed to be able to find it if I needed to beat someone over the head, that's all." She looked at Shingen, eyes wide. "So all this time I've been using a ki attack and didn't even know about it?"

"In a word, yes… but as I said, unrefined. With a little more focus, you could probably have access to just about any weapon you wanted- within limits, of course." Akane's eyes practically sparkled as she started to envision the possibilities.

"Of course, that wasn't the only thing I noticed about you."

Akane snapped out of her reverie. "Huh? What, there's more?"

"I've actually been curious about one or two things for the past few days, ever since I met you both," Shingen continued. "Once my aura sight returned to normal, I noticed something about you… each of you," he added, nodding to Ranma.

"Ya mean something besides that stupid curse?"

"This isn't about the curse, Ranma. But it does concern your energy patterns."

"Oh gods…" Akane whispered. "Don't tell me there's something else wrong with…"

"Now, hold on. This isn't anything like demon possession, or any sort of astral contamination or sickness," Shingen interrupted. "It's something I needed to make sure of, and after watching both of you go up against that demon tonight, I'm fairly certain of what it was I saw."

"Watching us go up against… wait a sec, is that why you pulled yer punches against that demon?" Ranma asked, anger creeping into his voice. "You held back because you were TESTING us? You let that thing slap Acchan an' me around just to get an idea of what we could do? Is THAT why ya didn't just tear the snot outta him in the first place?"

"Only partially," Shingen replied coolly. "I was trying to gauge his abilities just as much as I was trying to gauge yours."

"Gauge our abilities? But why? What's so special about me and Ranma, aside from the fact that we never seem to get any peace and quiet?" said Akane.

Shingen sighed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I think you'd better sit down."

* * *

"Do you think they'll be okay for the night?"

"Kasumi, this is 'Broken Compass Ryoga' we're talking about here. The guy's probably slept in the wild so often, sleeping in the dojo must seem like luxury to him. He'll be fine."

Kasumi wrung her hands slightly. "It's not just that, Nabiki. What if he throws another fit, like earlier?"

"Then the giant pig in there will probably sit on him till he calms down," Nabiki replied dryly.

"Hm. Well, you do have a point there… still, I'm just not sure how proper this is, regardless of his condition. Infection or no, he _did_ take advantage of his curse and our baby sister; who's to say what Akane might do when she sees him next?" Nabiki gulped as a distinctly un-Kasumi-like edge crept into her voice.

"Oneesan, that's not for us to worry about right now; from what I picked up, it sounds like the poor bastard's slipped into a state of major-league contrition. My guess is he won't even be able to look sis straight in the eye when he says he's sorry." A feral grin crept onto Nabiki's face. "Though if he doesn't say he's sorry, I think I can come up with some ways to properly punish him. No one cops a feel on my baby sister and gets away with it, even if he was a piglet at the time."

Kasumi put a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "You know, Nabiki, for once in my life, I agree with you." Over Nabiki's shoulder, Kasumi could just make out Nodoka nod in agreement before turning her attention back to her tea. Genma sat nearby, toying idly with the warding pendant around his neck and keeping a nervous eye on his wife's katana.

"I wonder how proper it is that Akari-chan decided to sleep in the dojo with him…"

"Separate futons, Kasumi. And there is the big pig, don't forget. I think she'll be okay." Nabiki shook her head. "Dunno what it is she sees in that dimwit, though."

* * *

There was a prolonged silence in Akane's room. Akane was staring at her hands. Ranma was shaking his head.

"I don't believe it…" Akane breathed.

"I know, it's a lot to take in all at once," Shingen replied. "But it is the truth."

"How… how could we not have known 'bout this?"

"There isn't any one answer to that question, Ranma. I can't explain why."

"So… so this just now happened because of everything we've been exposed to?" Akane asked, her voice shaky.

"Possibly," Shingen replied. "I already told you why it is it sometimes goes into hiding… sometimes it's by accident, other times on purpose. A powerful encounter or ordeal is one thing that can trigger its emergence."

There was another pause. Akane shifted nervously.

"Like what happened in China…" she wsaid softly.

"Or any of the psycho-arcane crap we put up with this past year…" Ranma added.

"So what happens now?" Akane asked. "Do… do we…"

"What happens now is something I can't dictate to either of you. This is something you both deserved to know about, especially now that it has begun to manifest. What you decide to do with it, that I leave in your hands. Accept or deny, it's your call."

"Ya mean we could ignore it if we wanted to?"

"You could, Ranma. That would repress it; bring you back to the way you were before I met any of you. Or you could accept it…"

"And possibly learn more?" Akane asked, her voice slightly stronger. "Learn to deal with it?"

"You realize there would be consequences, Akane. Responsibility."

She paused, then looked away. "Yeah…"

Ranma stared at his hands. "This… this is heavy, man… I'm startin' to feel like I'm losin' control again. I just get over one fiasco, now ya go and dump another one in both our laps… how do ya expect us to cope with all this?"

"I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want to do, Ranma," Shingen replied levelly. "I know this is hard, especially since it's hitting you both simultaneously- and that's a coincidence in and of itself. I know I'm giving you a lot to think about, but I also know that you would've started asking me sooner or later."

Akane shook her head. "I… I think I'm going to have to sleep on this. I don't know about you, Ranma, but I'll deal with it a little better once I've had some rest."

"Yeah, me too," said Ranma, stifling a yawn.

"You don't have to answer right away, either of you. This decision impacts you both equally; take whatever time you need." Shingen straightened his jacket and turned to go.

"Um… Shingen?"

"Yeah, Akane?"

Akane took a deep breath. "Thanks for being honest."

He nodded. "My pleasure, both of you." He opened the door, pausing and taking one last look in before leaving. "If you have any other questions, you know where to find me." Both Ranma and Akane nodded, turning to each other as he closed the door.

_Under the circumstances, I'd say the two of them took that pretty well,_ Shingen thought to himself as he descended the stairs and made his way back to his rented room. _They didn't seem quite as shocked as I would have expected- but then again, with all the supernatural encounters they talked about having, perhaps they had just gotten used to something like this._ Closing his door, he shrugged his leather jacket off, which landed on the floor with an unusually loud thunk.

_At least now they have a better understanding of some of what's going on. Why he was able to execute the Jinrai Tekken without any real training, or why their injuries faded at the speed they did. Still… I don't doubt that I won't get an answer from them very soon. Even for them, this is a lot to cope with._

_It's not every day you find out you've got Hunter blood in you._

_Much less two awakening Hunters under the same roof…_

To Be Continued.

* * *

Author's note 4/4/05: I apologize for the delay in posting, but my brain needed a break and work began to heap things on me in a big hurry. I hope everyone had a Happy Easter. Hopefully this installment was enjoyable; things will definitely be getting a bit hotter for our favorite duo in future chapters, though how soon is yet to be seen. And now, the new move of the day.

_Konpaku kaki bakuha_: Loosely translates as Spirit Fire Blast or Spirit Fire Explosion. A ki attack not unlike Ranma's own Moko Takabisha, but more powerful; fueled both by emotion and raw positive energy.

Luna12: Thank you for your comments; some of the stuff in chap. 15 may have been a tad OOC, but remember that the two of them are maturing slightly- plus, not all their dialogue was included. Who's to say Akane wasn't losing her cool during training because of the occasional taunt? Stay tuned for more.

Batanga: Thank you.

Wonderbee31: I figured it was time Ryoga got a little help, and through what just happened he should begin to see the light somewhat. Dishonorable? Maybe, but I think most of that comes from being misguided- he doesn't just get lost physically, he gets lost rationally, too.

TaroMD: I will definitely take the nuthouse idea into consideration, but the Kuno siblings have at least one more showdown with Ranma- if not more- and who's to say what their idiot dad might be up to. As for the demonic Shishi Hokodan- you caught a glimpse of it in this chapter, and it wasn't at nearly its full strength. Hope you enjoyed. Also, you may be right in your vision of fighting Taro's inner demon- but that's to be seen.

Fotoguy: In regards to the imps, yes, it is a bit InuYasha-esque. What can I say, just a little homage to Takahashi-sensei. As for the LOTR thing of ending at some point, I knew this would be a huge project when I started. Don't expect an ending any time soon. Thanks for the support.

Priestess Kohana: I post as fast as I can; hope this was quick enough for you. At least I'm not an author who takes a month between chapters.

ForgottenSmile: Thanks for the support; the beast-man was simply an illustration that not all demons look alike. Each one has their own bizarre appearance; in Ranma's case, it closely matched his cursed body, whereas Ryoga's was a polar opposite of P-chan. Demons can be whimsical like that.

Dragon Man 180: Yeah, I figured retaining Ranma-chan was a necessity. Glad you like it so far; stay tuned to find out more on the others' curse demons. Ryoga may or may not get to smash a few imps… you'll have to wait and see.

Carnath: Glad you're enjoying it so far. I need all the support I can get.

Whew. Another marathon chapter complete. Next installment won't be quite as long; I had a lot of things to put in this chapter and didn't want to break it into smaller pieces. Thanks again for all of your support, and stay tuned for the next chapter. It's time for Ranma and Akane to make a new decision regarding their latest revelation.

Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	18. A Decision

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. With that said, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 18: A Decision

* * *

The Thursday morning sun had only just begun to rise as Ranma pushed back the cover of his futon, staggered up and padded over to the window, where he leaned against the glass and stared blankly at the backyard. He hadn't slept well that night- and not just because of his father's habitual snoring. He rubbed at his eyes and glanced back at the futon next to his, wondering how his mother could sleep so peacefully on the occasions where she and Genma did sleep in the same room. _Old man sounds like a steamboat whistle,_ he thought to himself with a smirk. Nodoka, on the other hand, was sleeping quite peacefully; Ranma actually had to double-take when he noticed her hand resting lightly on Genma's chest and a minute smile on her face.

_Dunno if I'll ever understand them,_ he wondered silently. _As much as pop screws up an' acts like a jerk, mom still seems to put up with him… even after what he was saying last night, too._ He shook his head, wondering if he would ever comprehend what it was Nodoka still saw in Genma.

That wasn't what had disturbed his sleep either. The snoring he was used to. And he had become accustomed to the three of them sharing a room when space was scarce, though events of the past few days had given him a little privacy once in a while. He turned around and sighed, staring out at the clouds.

_This is way more than I ever expected,_ he mused inwardly. _Hunter blood? Where the hell did that come from? Pops certainly never said anything 'bout it… though whether he'd ever know about it in the first place is somethin' else. Mom didn't seem to know about Hunters outside of some fairy tales, least that's what she said when she first met Shingen…_ He drummed his fingers on the windowsill. _Was there someone that married into the clan? And if so, why keep it a secret? An' what the hell am I supposed to do now?_

_All I ever wanted was a chance to settle down… stop traveling all over the place with the ol' man, lead a NORMAL life for a change… heh, fat chance of that ever happenin', huh?_ He slipped silently to the other side of the room, resting his hand on the door handle before opening it quietly. _Normal? I don't even know what that means anymore… all these damn things that keep croppin' up the way they do. Curses, lunatics, ghosts, demons, magic… even gods… it's like somethin' was tryin' to tell me from the get-go I'd never have a normal life. 'Hey, Ranma Saotome! Congratulations, yer life is gonna be a helluva ride from now until Kami knows when!'_

He paused in the hallway, taking a deep breath. _An' now Akane's caught up in it, too… he said she had those same patterns in her aura. Talk about a coincidence…_ He gritted his teeth. _Damn… damn, damn, damn. I'll bet anything she's gonna blame me for it, just the same. _He took a few steps, then stopped again at the top of the stairs.

_Then again…_ He leaned against one wall, brows knitted in thought.

_He did say we could choose to repress it if we wanted. That might give us a chance at a peaceful life, once we take care of all the other loose ends. But…_ A small smirk crossed his face.

_I dunno why… but a peaceful life actually sounds kinda boring. And Shingen did mention other techniques that Hunters get taught… like that stone cutting strike of his, or the Healing Light._

_Maybe accepting the power wouldn't be so bad after all. But… Akane…_

_

* * *

_

Breakfast was a quiet affair that morning. Kasumi was more than a little surprised at how early Ranma was up and dressed, and the fact that Akane had skipped her morning jog did not escape her attention either. Soun had glanced at them both with a questioning eye, but when an answer did not present itself he shrugged and resumed reading the paper. Nabiki might have said something about it being the first time that she was the last one seated at the table, but having stayed up late the previous night poring over her ledgers, she was even more groggy than usual. Genma didn't even have a chance to try and swipe some of his son's portions- not merely because Nodoka was watching him like a hawk, albeit with a pleasant smile. Ranma had downed most of his breakfast before Genma was even down there… and oddly enough, so had Akane. Nodoka made a mental note to ask them later what was troubling them. _Something must have happened last night,_ she mused. _Something they're both trying to cope with… but what?_

It wasn't long before the two of them had set their bowls down, grabbed their bags and vanished out the front door. Nabiki stared at her departing sister and future brother-in-law, and glanced at her watch.

_They gotta be hiding something; no way they'd leave for school this early without some sort of reason._ Her lips curled into a feral grin. _Wonder what those two are up to?_

_

* * *

_

Akane shifted her book bag from one hand to the other, her eyes firmly fixed on the few feet of pavement immediately in front of her. She heaved a short sigh before glancing to her right, noting that Ranma had a similar expression on his face- confused, concerned and numb all at the same time, if such a thing is possible.

They were walking side by side along the canal today, foregoing any balance practice despite the fact that Akane had brought along running shorts just in case. There weren't any words spoken on it, just a mutual, silent consensus. She scratched her right elbow nervously.

_Looks like you got about as much sleep as I did, Ranma,_ she thought to herself. _Not surprising, really… not after what Shingen said._ She shook her head to try and clear the cobwebs. _Couldn't even concentrate on my homework after he talked to us, I'll be lucky if I got half my math problems right. I… I just can't believe it… you and me? Possible Hunters? So not only do we have our fathers' arrangement and a few remaining loose ends with the others to deal with, now we're told we might wind up with a new obligation as well? Having to deal with more things like that… that pig-monster?_

She looked up briefly and caught a glimpse of Ranma's face, his mouth curled in a frown of doubt. _I wonder what you're thinking… and knowing all the stupid things I said to you in the past, you're probably thinking I'm going to blame you for this. I almost did, too…_ She shuddered at the memory of some of the snap judgments she'd made about Ranma over the past year. _But it's not like you passed this on to me, like a disease or something. If it's part of my aura, like Shingen said, then it was probably there since I was born… I guess. How it got there, who knows- but that can wait. The question is, do I accept it, or do I refuse it?_

_If… if I do accept it… then there'd just be more madness, more challenges, more of the same garbage he and I have had to put up with for so long… and he'd probably be worried that I wouldn't be ready for something like this. Akane sighed again, then looked up, taking in more of the road._

_On the other hand, it is our own choice this time, not like we HAVE to do it… but knowing Ranma, he'd love the chance to learn something new and get even stronger. Even if he still had to fight weird things on a regular basis._

She paused for a moment, then smiled faintly as an odd thought struck her.

_Strangest thing is… I… I think… I think I'd love it, too. _

_Maybe I've just gotten so used to it… the fights, the magic, the thrill of the challenge… if I pushed that all away and he decided to accept it, he might think I was pushing him away. And I don't want to do that- I don't want to push him OR this away! Even if it does mean we'd be facing a bit more danger…_

_We've been in that spot before, more than once. We might be put in that spot again… and if we are, I want to be ready for it, not just sit on the sideline. But… but how would he feel about it?_

They both slowed their pace a bit and turned to look at one another.

"I was thinking…" they both said at once. "No, you first," they continued, then smirked and burst out laughing.

"Are ya going to say something or just keep mirroring me?" Ranma chuckled.

"Who says you weren't mirroring me, you goofball?" Akane replied airily.

"Tomboy."

"Baka." Another round of laughter between the two.

"So…" Ranma continued. "You were thinking…?"

"Yeah," Akane replied. "Um… just that… well… it looked like you had a pretty rough night." She shook her head and gave herself a swift mental kick. _Geez, come up with a more obvious observation, why don't you, Akane?_

"Um… yeah. Didn't sleep too well… how 'bout you?"

"Same here." Another moment of silence passed. The two walked on.

"Um… Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

"About what Shingen told us last night…"

Ranma nodded slowly. "Lemme guess. That's what kept ya up, right?"

Akane nodded. "Did it keep you up, too?" Upon seeing his nod, she heaved a sigh and shifted her bag between hands again. "I'm still kind of amazed at it myself… I mean, if it had only been you I might not have been as surprised, what with all the chaos that seems to follow you around…" She noticed a sour look cross his face. "I know you don't mean to get caught up in crazy stuff like this, Ranma. Sometimes it just happens… but I never thought it might be the same with me."

Ranma shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, 'kane…"

"Sorry for what?" she asked emphatically. "Ranma, it's not like being around you infected me with this 'Hunter blood' or whatever it is; it's not like it's some kind of virus, right?"

"I know… I just… hell, I know ya hate these kinda things happenin' to you, and now there's a chance they'll keep on happening; what kinda life is that? It can't be the kind o' life you were expecting once we finished school, right?"

"Maybe not exactly, but so what! Things change, people change, plans change all the time, Ranma! Gods, before you came to town I used to think I'd never like any boy that came across my path; I thought I was going to settle into a routine and maybe run the dojo when I got my high school diploma… but you know something?" She turned on a heel and faced him directly. "If that had happened, I probably would have regretted it the rest of my life; it would have been normal, but… well… DULL."

Ranma blinked. _Dull? What's she talking about? Most of the time she's complained and yelled at me 'cause of something or someone that followed me back to the dojo… and now she's calling her old plans dull?_ "Akane… are you saying that you actually LIKE things the way they've been? The fights, the weirdness, Kami knows what poking into the house at odd hours of the night? You don't mind all of that?"

Akane sighed. "I'm not saying I wouldn't mind a breather every now and then, maybe a few less intrusions in the house… and I could have done without being kidnapped a few times, that was never fun…" She looked up again, and this time he could see a small smile. "But there were a few times we had that were quite… interesting."

"Yeah… except most of them usually ended with your fist in my face…"

"I know, I know!" Akane replied, shaking her head. "I flew off the handle a whole lot back then, a lot more than I needed to."

"Well… I dunno if I'd go that far, I wasn't much help with all the jabs I'd make at ya." Ranma rubbed the back of his head, then looked Akane straight in the eye. "I will agree with ya, though… we did have a few interesting times."

Akane nodded. "So… what would be the harm in having a few more? If you continue training me… and the two of us learn a bit more about what else we can do…"

Ranma paused for a moment. "You're saying…"

"It's not being forced onto us, this whole Hunter thing… and I know it sounds really risky, but I also know you were probably thinking of exploring the possibilities yourself," Akane added.

"Actually… well… yeah, I was…"

"And that got me to thinking…" she continued, her voice shaking a tiny bit. "It may be… it may be a bigger risk than the other times, and I'm not saying I'm not scared about the whole thing either… but… but it's a risk I'd be willing to take… rather than just sit off to one side and… well, worry about you if you were to accept it alone." _And I don't want what happened on Phoenix Mountain to happen again, either. If we have to face something like that, I want to be ready for it._

There was a prolonged period of silence between them as she finished speaking, the only sounds being the slap of their shoes on pavement. Akane stared at her hands. _Did I say something wrong? Is he resenting me trying to horn in on him or something? Or… or is he just worried about me again?_ Her reverie was cut short when she felt his hand gently take her smaller one.

"So… I guess that means we've both got a new sensei, huh."

Akane looked up, her eyes shining as she saw him give her a nervous grin. "Then you _are_ going to accept it?"

"Well… if you don't mind… then I guess I don't mind. Not that much, anyway." He reached up and scratched the back of his head, giving her a silly smirk. "Besides, I gotta make sure ya don't wind up hurtin' yourself or screwing up, right?"

Akane mock-glared at him for a second and lightly bopped him on the head before breaking out in giggles. "Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence, Ranma no baka."

"Kawaii tomboy." He smirked again when she blushed; apparently she still hadn't gotten used to being called kawaii instead of kawaiikune. Just then, an odd thought popped into his head.

"Hey, Acchan?" Another blush and a stumble. _Heh. Maybe I better not call her that too often, not till she gets used to it._

"Yeah, Ranma?"

"Just before that last fracas with Happosai- you know, where I started losin' it to the curse spirit- you were about to ask me a question, weren't ya?"

Akane paused, thinking back to the events of Tuesday. "Umm… well, we were coming home, talking about the curse and then Happosai wanted you to throw Shingen out of the house… uh… oh!" She looked up again. "Yeah… I guess there was something I wanted to ask you…"

"What was it?"

Akane stayed silent for a moment, then smirked and sprinted ahead. "I'll tell you after school. Race you to the front gate!" she quipped coyly. A quick spin on her heel and she was airborne, landing on the fence before breaking into a run. Ranma shook his head in amusement and darted after her, springing onto the fence and joining his fiancée in a madcap, laugh-filled race towards the front gate of Furinkan.

* * *

"Looks like we made it here before anybody else, 'kane."

Akane glanced around, noting that there was hardly anybody milling around the schoolyard. "Guess we just got up too early," she said.

"I kinda got that feeling when Kasumi asked us if we were feelin' okay."

"Yeah, me too." Another glance, then a long look at the ground. "Well… guess we're going to have to put on another show, huh?"

"You mean another pretend fight?" Ranma scuffed the ground with one shoe. "I don't think we need ta go that far… last time we did that wasn't a whole lot of fun."

Akane nodded slowly. "Yeah, I didn't like it much either, but would you rather deal with a horde of morons asking why we were out sick yesterday? For all we know, the rumor mongers might be saying we eloped or something."

"Well… yeah, yer right about that, but I don't think we need to fight just to throw 'em off the scent. Why don't we just act like nothin' happened and keep our mouths shut today? You know, the whole 'mutual tolerance' act?"

Akane paused for a second, then nodded. "Okay… they've seen us like that before, even if it wasn't that often… and it does sound a bit better than pretending to be mad at you again."

Ranma reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "Just try not to get mad at me for real, 'kay?"

"I won't if you don't give me a reason to, dummy," she replied, giving him a half-lidded mock glare mixed with a silly smile. Ranma smirked and was about to retort in kind when a flicker of motion on the periphery of his vision stopped him.

"What the…" was his intelligent remark as a smallish bundle fell towards their feet. Both blinked, then stared wide-eyed as a bouquet of black roses hit the sidewalk, rolling once before resting at Akane's foot. Both their danger instincts snapped into overdrive, prompting them to dig their heels into the ground and leap upwards and as far away from the bouquet as possible- which promptly exploded in a cloud of yellow gas a second later. Ranma landed further back on the pavement, while Akane actually pulled off a backflip and found herself perched on the school wall. Their attention was immediately seized by a notorious insane cackle; glancing upwards, they caught sight of Kodachi in her St. Hebereke school uniform, ribbon at the ready and murder in her eyes.

"Why, you little SLATTERN!" she growled, tossing her hair back. "Still making your own fiendish advances upon MY darling Ranma, I see! Holding hands in public? Pray tell, then, what sort of lascivious, unwanted things you must be pushing on him in private? More of what I saw on the roof not two mornings ago, no doubt!"

"As if that's any of yer business anyway, Kodachi!" Ranma snapped. "An' where the hell do you get off calling me YOUR 'darling Ranma' AGAIN? I ain't yours and wouldn't wanna be, either!"

Kodachi whirled and gazed at him with puppy-dog eyes. "Oh, my sweetums, I only say what I know is the truth in both our hearts! Forgive me for not rescuing you sooner, but I'm afraid I did suffer a terrible ordeal after we last saw one another… my poor, frail constitution could scarcely bear it."

"Frail constitution my butt; you just couldn't take getting groped by that old lech."

"Never mind the details, love, what's important is that I am here now, and I will NOT stand idle any longer!" She flourished her ribbon in Akane's direction. "By dodging my paralysis pollen you have only prolonged the inevitable. Harlot, prepare to defend yourself!"

"You got a lot of nerve calling ME a harlot, you maniac!" Akane shot back. "You wanna fight me that much? Fine! But you better make it quick, I'm not in any mood to be late to class because of you!"

"Die, you hussy!"

"HOLD!"

All three of them froze stock-still at the sound of a fourth voice. Turning their heads in the direction of said voice, each of them reacted in their own way. Ranma stared blankly with a sweatdrop rolling down the back of his head. Akane promptly face-faulted, while Kodachi's shoulders slumped and she released a long sigh.

Kuno was standing directly behind Ranma, covered head to toe in bandages under his kendo outfit..

"Brother dear, you really shouldn't be interrupting right now," Kodachi sighed. "Not when I am about to free my dearest from the clutches of this… this VILE woman."

"Be that as it may, my most twisted sister, I cannot in good conscience allow you to inflict the pain you desire upon my fair tigress. Indeed, I forbid it," Kuno said in a measured tone, casting a glance in Akane's direction. "As it is, I would have dealings with this abominable sorcerer myself, and do indeed question your bizarre obsession with such an honorless scum as Saotome here!"

"KUNO!" Akane groaned, clenching her fists. "What the hell is the matter with you? Didn't you get the message already? STAY OUT OF OUR LIVES!"

"Nay, how can I sit idly by while this cretinous cad not only sways thine emotions from their true path, but delves into the depths of dark magic, kidnaps my beloved pig-tailed girl whilst I am incapacitated, and then appears masquerading as the very object of my desire? 'Tis sorcery and the art of the shinobi together! Such a cur cannot be permitted to pursue such whims any longer!"

Akane and Ranma stared at Kuno, slack-jawed. _He STILL doesn't realize it?_

"Well spoken, my brother, but this short-haired hellion is hardly worth the effort of 'saving'; I truly do not understand your pursuit of this Tendo girl nor that red-headed fiend, and have no care to, either! Today, I rid myself of one, and that is final!" Kodachi snapped her ribbon taut and lashed out in Akane's direction. "You can thank me once you have finally seen the light, Tatewaki!" Akane spun to one side as the ribbon tore through the air and snapped at her legs, tearing through part of her skirt; the edges were razor-sharp. Kodachi twirled her weapon and cracked it like a whip, this time attempting to grapple Akane by the ankles, but this time Akane was not there to be snared. Glancing up, Kodachi stared at the sight of Akane's rapidly descending foot, half a second before it made a deep impression on Kodachi's cheekbone. The gymnast hit the ground hard and rolled backward, staggering to her feet as Akane sprang forward.

The ribbon arm drew back and snapped forward again as Kodachi unleashed a beastly roar, and this time Akane could clearly see her intent in both her arm and face. _Thank the Kami Ranma told me about reading an opponent's moves- especially when they get angry!_ Without wasting a second, Akane ducked into Kodachi's attack, catching her by the wrist and pulling hard; their combined momentum coupled with Kodachi's sudden shock resulted in the gymnast colliding quite painfully with the school wall, embedding her about three inches into the concrete. Akane brushed her hair back and let out a satisfied sigh. _She must not have been expecting much resistance, or she'd have used some other trick or weapon,_ she thought to herself.

"That… that wasn't… fair…" said Kodachi weakly, muffled by broken concrete. "You… didn't fight… according to form…"

"News flash for you, Black Rose," Akane scowled. "I _am_ part of the school of Anything Goes, after all. What, you expected me to fight one way and I just happened to do something else? Well, TOUGH!" She straightened out her skirt and crossed her arms. "Now get the hell out of here!"

"Indeed, sister mine, I wouldst have it that way as well, and I shall not have you strike at the fair Akane from this day forward, lest you face my own divine retribution." Kuno staggered forward, looking down at the stunned Kodachi. "I am very displeased with thee, imoutosan, striking at my vision of loveliness when I didst expressly forbid it." Akane made a face and a gagging sound.

"And as for you, Saotome…" The mummy-wrapped Kuno drew his bokken and leveled it at Ranma's face, with some obvious discomfort. "No longer shall you hold my angels prisoner with your spells and your… bizarre masquerades! HAVE AT THEE!" Kuno sprang forward, executing his rapid pattern strike for approximately three seconds before a highly pissed-off Ranma lunged in, wrenched the bokken out of Kuno's hands, spun around and delivered a spinning reverse roundhouse to Kuno's back. The upperclassman impacted the wall next to his sister, slid down to the pavement and scrambled into a sitting position just in time to see something that made him stare and turn white… Ranma gripping the middle of the bokken and promptly _snapping it in half _with his thumb.

"That's it, Kuno. I'm sick of this… sick of the fights, sick of your delusions, sick of the ambushes, sick of BOTH OF YOU!" He took several steps forward, his face livid. "And just what exactly is it you mean when you talk about bizarre masquerades?"

Kuno stayed silent for a moment before finding his voice. "Y-you know very well what I mean, Saotome! Abducting the pig-tailed goddess when my back was turned, then dressing as her in a base attempt to turn my feelings against her! I knew thou wert a vile creature, but to stoop to such a level as cross-dressing… and as such an angel, no less!"

Akane groaned, one hand on her head. "He really thinks it's all some sort of magician's act…"

"Wish it were that simple," Ranma spat, taking another step closer. "Is that what you think it all was, Kuno? Cross-dressing? A red wig and some cotton wadding or somethin' like that?"

"Indeed, I'm sure Sasuke could easily duplicate such a feat." Both Ranma and Akane face-faulted at the thought. Kodachi merely groaned and slipped out of the hole she had made in the wall, rolling to face Ranma- still in a slight daze.

"Dammit, I was afraid I wouldn't have to do this, but I guess I got no choice," Ranma grumbled. He glanced up and down the road, then, satisfied that no one was approaching, promptly undid the clasps that held his shirt closed.

"Ranma, what are you doing?" Akane asked in a disbelieving tone. _He wouldn't… would he?_

"Driving the nail home once and for all," was his reply as he shrugged his shirt off, leaving him in a tank top. Akane stared. _Okay… he would. That crazy baka…_

"You really think that was just a wig and some cotton stuffed in a gi, huh? Well, lemme ask ya something, Blue Blunder…" A gold aura enveloped his body; slowly he shrunk several inches, black hair was replaced by red and- most notably- the tank top stretched over a newly voluptuous bustline that would have caused any teenage male to develop a severe nosebleed, especially given its lack of cover. Ranma-chan glared at both Kuno siblings as their eyes swelled to the size of dinner plates.

"DOES THIS LOOK LIKE FRIGGIN' COTTON TO YOU?"

A reply was not forthcoming, as both their jaws appeared to have disengaged and hung almost to the ground, so the redhead continued. "Didn't ya ever wonder why ya never saw both Ranma and the 'pig-tailed girl' in the same place? Didn't either of ya notice the similar fighting style? For cryin' out loud, I even called myself by my own name at that damned gymnastics meet and ya STILL didn't get it! I'm only gonna say this once, you sickos- I didn't abduct the 'pig-tailed girl' and pretend ta be her, I AM her! Don't ask how or why; long story short, ancient Chinese curse-infection-possession… _whatever_!" She promptly reversed the transformation, assuming male form. "This is the original me, and the redhead is me too, but up until about two days ago I had no control over it! Two forms, one mind! Got it?" He promptly began to snap back and forth between bodies, punctuating his words with a form shift. "Now. Stay. Out. Of. My. FACE!"

He breathed out a long sigh- then wobbled, his eyes crossing slightly. "Whoa… head rush… changed forms… WAY too fast…"

Akane bopped him on the back of his head- not hard, just hard enough to jar him- then threw his shirt over his shoulders. "You bonehead, did you really have to go that far? What if someone else saw you like that, we'd never hear the end of it!"

"What the hell was I s'posed to do, Akane, just let 'em keep bugging us over the same damn thing day after day? I'm sick and tired of these games of theirs!"

"Yeah, but… even so, you don't think you might have overdone it a bit?"

"What're you…" Ranma paused as she pointed towards where Kuno and Kodachi were sitting. He looked over- then smirked. "Well… okay… I guess I see what you mean…" Both of them were frozen in place, jaws dropped and eyes vacant. The occasional eye twitch from Kuno aside, one might think they were plaster statues, stiff as they were. An errant gust of wind ruffled their hair but failed completely to change the expression on their faces.

Akane shook her head… then snickered. "I think they'll be lucky if they don't get confined to a rubber room after that stunt you just pulled."

Ranma brushed his hair back, failing to suppress his own guffaw. "Not like they were that far from it, anyway, right? Might suit them perfectly." Akane nodded in agreement and started laughing a bit harder.

"Still… you have to admit… that really was a dirty thing to do, Ranma…"

"After every dirty trick those clowns pulled on you an' me, I'd say we're even," he replied, pulling the last tie closed on his shirt. Just then the snap of a camera behind them ground their laughs to a halt.

"Hmmm… Tweedledum and Tweedledumber shocked speechless? That'll be a nice addition to the yearbook." Akane and Ranma both spun around to see a smiling Nabiki not more than three steps behind them, slipping her camera back into her book bag.

"Nabiki!" Akane sighed. "How long were you standing there?"

"Oh, not that long, sis… just long enough to get a few choice shots for my photo album. Those were some nice moves, by the way; I didn't know you'd been working on your jumping."

"Well, I did start to get better once I stopped thinking about it so much, and… HEY! You mean you've been here since the fight started?" Nabiki nodded, pointing to a grouping of garbage cans further down the road that had apparently acted as a duck blind.

Ranma groaned. "Oh gods, please tell me you didn't take any pictures of me when I was… you know…"

"Oh, come on Ranma, you know me. Try and give me some credit, will you?" Nabiki replied with a sweet smile.

"You did take pictures."

"Only a couple… towards the end you got a bit too fast on me. And here I thought you were making it up when you mentioned being able to transform at will!"

"Nabiki, if you do anything with those pictures…" Akane said softly, but was promptly cut off.

"Sis, please. I noticed what was happening and just wanted to get a few shots of you and Ranma beating the snot out of the Kunos here. Might make for some quick yen; people are gonna pay big money to see proof that the gruesome twosome got their butts handed to 'em." She paused, then grinned. "As for the shot of Ranma-chan… that's for my private collection."

"You better keep it private," Ranma snapped.

"Geez, don't get your panties in a bunch, 'little bro'," Nabiki replied, sidling towards the school gates. "If it'll make you happy, I'll let you have the negatives, no charge. But you'll owe me a favor. Now come on, you two, don't want to be late for class!" Sporting her 'innocent' smile, she spun on her heel and traipsed into the building.

Ranma sighed. "Another fun day at Furinkan, right, Akane?"

"Let's just pray we got all the excitement out of the way," she replied with her own sigh. _Somehow, I think I'd rather learn more about Hunters than learn how to cope with my sister…_ She shook her head and grabbed Ranma by the elbow as they trudged through the gates themselves, noting that other students had begun arriving.

Kuno and Kodachi remained sitting on the ground, their eyes twitching for at least another minute before they both fainted.

* * *

Around noontime, a lone figure made her way slowly down the street in a manner that suggested she would rather be running in the other direction. This was partly true; part of her mind sang with fear and low expectations, and more prominently, shame. The other part of her mind was occupied with fighting off the effects of the previous night's inebriation. Nothing terribly heavy or health-threatening, just the sort of drunk you get from sharing a bottle and a half of sake with a local Chinese ramen chef after not having eaten much of anything for most of the day, on account of an extended fit of depression, self-loathing and a feeling of loss. In other words, a mild inability to stand upright.

Ukyo did not feel well at all. The illness she had inflicted on herself the previous night had come back to haunt her, and even an old home hangover remedy had done nothing to assuage the headache or the fatigue. She figured Shampoo was probably in much the same shape, unless Cologne had some sobriety-inducing herbal treatment up her sleeve. She groaned, and visions of the previous night's activity swam through her brain.

"_You know- hic- for girl that dress like boy and give Shampoo much trouble- hic- you not that bad, Ucchan!" "You ain't so bad yer- hic- yerself, sugar… for a trash-talkin' Amazon, anyway, Shan-chan." "One more round?" "Yeah, why not, 'snot like we got anythin' better to do." "This too, too- hic- true. No reason for fight now that airen… no… now that Ranma not prize any- hic- longer." "Oh, he's a prize alright, sister… prize catch, dat's what Ran-chan is… you jus' didn't have the right kinda bait to- hic- land him." "Shampoo think that- hic- Ucchan is calling kettle black when she got pot on head… wait, that not come out- hic- right…"_

Ukyo rolled her eyes and leaned against a nearby wall, shaking off another wave of nausea. She remembered how their little commiseration party had eventually descended into an incoherent giggle session, both of them laughing and occasionally crying over more or less nothing. She vaguely remembered Konatsu wresting the bottle away from them, begging his 'Ukyo-sama' to retire for the night and sleep it off; she winced as the dim memory of swatting the kunoichi out the front door with her battle spatula drifted through her brain. _Geez, hope I didn't hurt the poor sap,_ she mused, before smirking at the memory of Shampoo blathering about a rather embarrassing birthmark she'd glimpsed on Mousse one time.

_Yeah… that was a weird night,_ she thought. _Tried to drink th' pain away, an' wound up on the floor laughing like it was some kinda sleepover._ She pushed off from the wall and kept walking, the smile leaving her face.

_Least a little laughter's better than crying all the time._

_Kami, did I ever screw things up… all those wasted years, and for what. For something my old man pushed me into. Revenge or marriage, no middle ground, huh? And what'd it all get me? A few arrogant rivals and one rival that could've been a friend if I hadn't kept forcing the issue… some really underhanded plans, including a few that could've been lethal… Ukyo's pace slowed as she began dragging her feet. _

She knew the dojo wasn't very far, and the nearer she got, the worse she felt. The full impact of everything she had done since arriving in Nerima was hitting her with the force of a sledgehammer, all the lies, the tricks, the endless competition she and the others had forced out of petty jealousy. She had no qualms about whether or not Genma was hurt by her actions, but Ranma was another question. What she had heard him say on several occasions, without knowing she was there, had struck her almost as hard as if he had physically slapped her. She finally realized that she hadn't treated him like the friend he had been as a child- she had treated him like the prize she had described to Shampoo in their drunken stupor the previous night. Worse, his mother and most of the Tendo family had suffered because of it- and now that she had had time to brood, she knew she couldn't bring herself to hate Akane. She actually liked her… but doubted the sentiment would be returned after the attack on the wedding.

Ukyo hugged herself and shivered, staring at the ground with vacant eyes. _They aren't even home from school yet. But at the very least, I gotta make some kind of amends with the others… if they'll even accept it. They probably won't, though. Ranma's mom's probably still sore over that mess we made of her house… Kasumi might be forgiving, but hell, she forgives just about anyone… I don't even know what Mr. Tendo's like right now. And when they do get home from school…_ A lone tear made its way down her cheek. _I don't know if they'll listen to what I have to say, or kick me out. They'd have every right to kick me out, though… kick me out… like Dad did… like Genma did… oh Kami, please don't let them hate me forever. I'm sorry…_

As she stood on the sidewalk, shivering and cursing herself, she failed to notice a subtle disturbance in the air behind her. The air shimmered, distorting ever so slightly, as if a curtain was being parted. Gradually the distortion grew as flecks of dark color winked into existence behind the teenaged okonomiyaki chef. The air undulated, snakelike…

The dark tint dancing through the wind congealed, splicing around a form that wasn't merely snakelike, it _was_ a snake. A snake approximately twenty feet long and at least two thick, with mottled purple-black scales tinged with green. A fiendish horned skull-like maw rested where its head would have been, two pinpricks of reddish light dancing in the eye sockets.

It flicked its barbed tongue once and began to advance, slowly gliding up until it was practically on top of Ukyo. She wiped her eyes with her forearm, never once looking behind her. The skeletal face grinned.

_My, my… such a troubled soul, so alone, so conflicted._

_So tasty…_

To Be Continued.

* * *

Author's Note 4/14/05: Yes, I know it's a dirty trick to leave on that cliffhanger, but rest assured, more will be forthcoming. I wanted to finish this bit off and with what I have planned, the chapter would have ended up being enormous had I kept going. And now for my review responses.

Wonderbee31: Yep, things are going to be interesting for our favorite duo from now on; glad you liked the fight in the previous chapter, I felt it was time Akane started to come into her own- especially now that Ranma's started giving her pointers.

Nuclear death frog: As for what- if anything- Rouge and Herb will have to do with this story, that's nebulous at best. Taro may come into play in later chapters, but I'm not sure I can afford to have ALL the Jusenkyo victims taken care of immediately. On your other points- in my author notes, I never mentioned the Jinrai Tekken as being a move that can't just be learned. That was actually a personal observation from Shingen at the rate of speed Ranma figured it out; not knowing Ranma's skill, and probably because of a small amount of arrogance, Shingen assumed it was something latent within his aura that brought it out. A misled assumption on his part, but the fact that Ranma and Akane used the Naosu Kousen while kissing confirmed that they had the gift. As for the whole 'mallet explanation' thing, that was a one-time mention, something I thought might be interesting to look at closer. I promise, I'm trying to avoid clichés but once in a while they do slip in. Thank you for your critique; I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Dragon Man 180: Whether Ryoga will find a use for the P-chan body, I can't tell you yet. As for Shampoo's demon… wait and see. Glad you liked the battle sequence.

Priestess Kohana: I try to update when I can. Hope this installment pleases.

Luna12: Glad you liked the mallet bit. However, I cannot promise that the pet names will disappear completely- except that Akane will likely never call Ranma 'Ran-chan'. I'm not the first author to have Ranma calling her Acchan, and with them growing closer I don't see any reason why he wouldn't say it once in a while. They are more likely to revert to 'tomboy' and 'baka' however, just because they're so used to it.

Expired Doughnuts: Thank you. Hope you enjoyed.

The-shadow002: Thanks, I try to visualize each fight scene as if I were watching the anime again. As for where Ranma and Akane got their Hunter blood from… now that, my friend, is a secret for now.

Rekka's Angel: Thanks for your support, glad you like what I've done with the storyline so far.

Death the Destroyer: I promise, I will do my best to finish this chronicle but it'll take me a long time.

Misakichi1: Hey, you keep asking for more and I'll keep writing more. Glad you like this.

Ryu-kanjin: Thank you.

Drkjester: Thanks.

TaroMD: Thanks again for your support, man; as for whose demon is taken care of, that's a secret for now… Glad you liked the twist, and perhaps something major is about to happen. And I highly agree with you, Genma is one of the rattiest rat bastards in the world of anime.

SilverBullet23: Glad you're enjoying it; I try to post roughly within 10 days of my last post, though sometimes it takes longer. Gotta keep the imagination fresh, you know.

Thanks to all of my readers; please review and pass the word along. I need all the support I can get!

Until next time. -Neon Ronin


	19. Gathering Clouds

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. You know the drill by now. Thank you once again for all your support. And now, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 19: Gathering Clouds

* * *

"So what do you think?" 

"I still think they were abducted by aliens or something, and those are fakes; those two eating lunch together without yelling at each other? Come on!"

"Hiroshi, get real, it's obvious what's going on; it's reverse psychology. They're acting all nice in the hopes that we'll stop bugging them about how they really feel. They probably save the fighting till after school."

"Maybe they just grew up and realized they don't really hate each other. I think it's kind of sweet."

"Yeah, Yuka, like that'd ever happen…"

The voices of the local lunch gossip group faded as they headed for a picnic table, allowing Ranma to breathe a sigh of relief. The rumor mongers hadn't spread anything too horrendous, but people still seemed leery of his and Akane's behavior. Even the mutual tolerance mask they'd put on hadn't dissuaded people from thinking something was up, as if a day without a Ranma malleting was abnormal. Apparently the two of them eating under the same tree produced the same concerns, but as long as they weren't pestering the two of them, he was happy. He turned his attention back to his bento and took a few bites.

"Well, at least no one's gettin' in our faces too much today," he murmured. Akane, sitting next to him, nodded.

"Sayuri did ask if I was feeling better today, but that's about all," she said before taking a bite. "I'm not sure she really believed me when I said it was a stomach bug."

"You think she'd have believed it if ya told her that you an' me had a sparring match with a demon?"

"I doubt it," Akane replied, then paused. "Though, after some of the things that happened around here before Shingen even showed up… like some of Happosai's tricks, or even Ms. Hinako… who knows what they might believe." Ranma nodded and was about to dig into his lunch again when Akane drew in a short, sharp breath. He blinked and glanced up; her eyes had widened and her mouth was slightly open as if in shock. Her right hand shivered slightly, and she dropped her chopsticks, which landed on the edge of the bento box with a clack; at the sound, she blinked and let out the breath she was holding, though her eyes retained a haunted look.

"Akane? Are you okay?" Ranma asked nervously. Just then a chilling sensation ran up his spine, causing his own breath to catch.

"I… I don't really know," Akane said softly. "Something… I don't know, something just felt really wrong for a moment. Like… not like I felt sick, or cold… just wrong."

Ranma blinked. "I… I think I just felt the same thing," he murmured. "Sorta felt like a chill; I felt it last night when that pig-thing got pulled outta Ryoga." He paused, then looked Akane in the eyes. "Think it means something?"

Akane remained silent for a moment before shaking her head noncommittally. "I don't know, Ranma. I mean, everything seems okay for now." She glanced across the schoolyard and sighed. "But something definitely doesn't feel right…"

* * *

Ukyo sniffled once more, blinking the tears out of her eyes. She took a deep breath and was about to close the last few dozen yards between her and the dojo, when a gust of hot air suddenly wafted across her neck. Her eyes widened and she froze in place. _That didn't feel like a late springtime breeze._ Another gust struck her neck, this time accompanied by a low rumble. _Thunder? On a day like this with no clouds? Hey… wait a minute, thunder doesn't roll like that… that's more like… laughter?_ She blinked, noticing for the first time that her shadow had grown considerably… or more appropriately, that she was standing in the shadow of something. 

Biting her lip, she turned her head towards her left, her hand inching towards the grip of her combat spatula. The rumbling laughter grew and elevated in register, moving from hellishly deep to an amused baritone. Ukyo's eyes widened in shock as she caught sight of the skeletal face leering at her from behind, to say nothing of its undulating snakelike body. Her hands promptly began to shake and her legs refused to obey her as the thing extended its tongue, preparing to drag it languidly across her face…

"Ukyo-sama! Get away!"

The sudden voice snapped Ukyo back to attention and paused the snake's advances; a second later, smoke exploded directly in between them and Ukyo found herself gently but firmly pushed backwards. A red blur burst from the smoke cloud, spinning a length of wide crimson fabric over the snake-beast's eyes, wrapping around its head repeatedly until the wielder of the ribbon landed on the snake's back, pulling the impromptu blindfold taut. "I don't have a clue as to what you are or where you came from," the scarlet-clad kunoichi said calmly, "but I will not allow you to harm Ukyo-sama!" The snake thrashed from one side to the other, nearly throwing Konatsu off, but he refused to give ground, pulling the sash tighter over the demon's eyes. A quick flip and the sash was secure in his left hand; he drew the shortsword at his side and was preparing to strike when the snake's tail suddenly came into play. Konatsu suddenly found himself being strangled as the tail wrapped around his neck, prompting him to drop the sash. A flick of the tail and he was airborne for half a second before colliding with a nearby wall; the impact promptly knocked him out and he slumped to the ground. The snake sneered and reddish flames burst from its eyes, incinerating the impromptu blindfold.

Ukyo gasped. She had absolutely no idea what the snake was, or why it was here and advancing on her, but she did know that it had been seconds away from doing _something_ before Konatsu had interfered. _That… that thing just tossed him around like a rag doll, but he didn't even seem to care… he bought me some time… he… he saved me… he risked his own life against an unknown even after I belted him out last night?_ Her glance snapped over onto the kunoichi's face, realizing that he hadn't moved once since hitting the wall. "KONATSU!"

The snake twisted and leered at Ukyo. "Teach that whelp to interrupt my lunch," the beast cackled. "Now, where were we… oh, yes. Hold still, and it won't hurt… that much." The snake glided towards Ukyo as she collapsed to her knees. Frantically, she began flinging her throwing spatulas at its skull-like face, each one rebounding in a different direction as the snake moved closer and closer. Suddenly it reared back like a cobra preparing to strike. Ukyo winced, trying to scramble backward on legs that didn't want to move. Its jaw opened absurdly wide as it lunged forward; Ukyo cringed and squeezed her eyes shut…

A blur of a shadow passed over Ukyo and there was a sudden crash, followed by a crackling sound not unlike the sound of an arc welder. Ukyo flinched… then noticed nothing seemed to be happening to her. Very, very slowly, she relaxed and opened her eyes and stared at the sight in front of her. A tall man in a leather jacket, with a ponytail, was standing over her with his left fist thrust forward and his right hand clenching a wicked-looking bladed staff. The snake-demon's jaw was locked around what looked like a translucent blue disk of energy coming from his outstretched left hand, and was producing a shower of sparks that apparently caused the demon a great deal of discomfort.

The snake screeched and pulled itself away, writhing on the ground as smoke wafted from several of its teeth. Shingen unclenched his left fist, the pentagram on his glove ceasing to glow as he did so. "Are you alright?" he asked, shooting a quick glance at Ukyo, who took a deep breath and nodded weakly. At her nod, Shingen nodded in return and pulled three sliver-like throwing knives from his jacket. "Good thing I was warming up outside; you might have gotten turned into worm food."

The snake pulled itself up again with a growl of anger mixed with pain. "HUNTER!"

"Right the first time, ya bastard," Shingen replied with a smirk, flipping his left hand forward. The darts caught the demon across the face, two in the eye sockets, one in the gaping hole where a nose might have been. The worm's scream of agony was so intense this time that Ukyo had to cover her ears, and even the unconscious Konatsu flinched. Slowly the worm drew back on itself, coiling and coiling until it resembled a compressed spring; Shingen shifted his naginata into both hands. Suddenly the snake sprang forward, blindly attempting to bite through anything that might be in its way.

In one swift motion, Shingen ducked low and under the snake's trajectory, whipping the straight blade of his weapon directly into its chin- and through it. The demon didn't even have time to gasp as Shingen dragged the blade through its head and along its body, gutting it from stem to stern in one clean, fluid sweep. For a millisecond, two halves of the snake hung in the air before exploding into a cloud of white and black specks that promptly vanished into nothingness.

Shingen straightened up, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Tough little buggers… but fundamentally stupid nonetheless." He turned around, and as he slid the scabbard back onto his naginata blade, Ukyo did some quick calculations and decided on the appropriate course of action for her, considering her hangover, the week she had had so far, combined with being attacked by a worm and seeing Konatsu risk his neck in the process. She fainted.

Shingen slung the naginata over one shoulder and kneeled next to Ukyo, brushing the hair out of her eyes with one hand as he shifted his perception slightly. "Looks like you've had more to deal with than just a Reaver," he said softly. "Your aura's a mess, kiddo… no wonder that thing tried to make a snack out of you." _Emotional rock bottom,_ he thought quietly. _All that negativity building up, of course a Reaver might notice._ He paused, noting her bandoleer and her battle spatula. _Hmm… she must've been the one who was spying on Ranma's confrontation with the Amazons…_ Just then something caught the periphery of his senses and his eyes narrowed.

"Don't move."

It was a female voice, calm and authoritative, directly behind him. Shingen turned his head slowly, his eyes coming to rest on the owner of the voice. A young woman stood two yards away, trim and athletic with the curves of a swimsuit model. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail not unlike Konatsu's, and her hazel eyes seemed hard as stone. She was dressed as if she belonged in a SWAT team, in tight-fitting black pants and boots, and a gray t-shirt under a black cargo vest that was covered with equipment pouches. Buckles and chains hung from her waist, each one adorned with bizarre trinkets and mismatched religious icons, and a smallish yet bulky satchel hung from her shoulder by a single strap. She held a compound bow at the ready and was drawing an arrow back with her right hand, aiming right at Shingen.

Shingen didn't say a word, but gazed levelly at the woman before him. The arrow drew back further still until the bow reached its limit. Off to one side, Konatsu twitched, then rolled onto his side with a light groan.

The strange woman's eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Shingen continued to look her in the eye, his face a blank slate.

Konatsu groaned again, one hand sliding to his bleeding temple, eyes still closed.

The woman released the arrow.

The bolt tore through the air between them; at the last second Shingen shifted his head imperceptibly, letting the arrow pass dangerously close to his face, but leaving him unharmed as the arrow continued onward until it pierced the body of the ugly green-eyed imp that had sprung from nowhere behind him. The beast promptly screeched and exploded in a cloud of light.

Shingen let out a breath and grinned. "Still as sharp with the bow as ever, I see."

The woman lowered her bow with a cocky smile of her own. "You're getting sloppy, letting an imp sneak up on you like that, Shingen."

"Only let it get that close because I knew you wanted some target practice," he replied, standing up and stepping towards the woman, who promptly grabbed him around the neck and gave him a fierce hug. He returned the hug in kind and laughed. "Long time no see, Reika."

"You can say that again, big brother," Reika replied with a smile. The two released their embrace and she turned to survey the scene. "Looks like you've been a little busy lately."

"Father said you were pretty busy too," said Shingen as he approached the still-groggy Konatsu. "Trouble down in Osaka, last time I heard."

"You have no idea," Reika groaned as she shook her head, rubbing her temples. "A normal kitsune isn't hard to placate, but once they start going toxic they're nothing but trouble. Damn near impossible to hit in close combat."

"Must've made for plenty of sniping practice for you, then," said Shingen, closing the wound on Konatsu's head with a low-grade Naosu Kousen. That done, he stood up again and proceeded to examine Ukyo once more.

"I take it Father told you what I've been up to."

"Yep. You sure picked a doozy this time, niisan," said Reika as she knelt by Shingen. "This ward is lousy with chaotic energies, you can practically smell 'em. No wonder you needed a supply refit," she added, patting the strap of the satchel on her shoulder. She looked down at the prone girl before her. "Looks like she had a little more than she could handle, bro. Don't tell me she's one of the two you told Dad about."

"You know that part, too?"

Reika nodded. "I talked to him just this morning at the edge of town; he relayed everything you confirmed last night." She shook her head in amusement. "Hard to believe that two latent Hunters wound up in the midst of a chaos stream, and under the same roof, too. She's not one of them, is she?"

Shingen shook his head as he scooped Ukyo up and slung her over his shoulder. "I think she has some connection to one of them, though… possibly both. I'm not totally sure. Still, best to get her inside lest she wind up attracting another Reaver."

Reika pointed to Konatsu, who was just starting to wake up. "What about her? Looks like she could use some attention too."

Shingen's eyes rolled. "Look a little closer, 'Hawk Eyes' Reika, that's a guy."

Reika looked closer for a moment, then shrugged. "Eh. I've seen weirder," she quipped, pulling the dazed Konatsu to his feet and slinging one arm over her shoulder. "Wonder what he was doing, facing a Reaver like that. And what the hell was a Reaver doing out in broad daylight anyway?"

"Either it was really hungry, or something led it here," Shingen scowled. "And with what's been cropping up in the past few days, it might just be the latter. And if that's the case, I'm going to have to work faster than I thought."

"Thought that might be the case, bro," Reika replied with a nod. "Think once the curse victims are taken care of it'll quiet down?"

Shingen shrugged, adjusting Ukyo's weight on his shoulder. "I'm still not sure if they're acting as attractors or not, but I did note some of the chaotic energies dissipate when I purged Saotome. Right now, all I can really do is act and observe- assuming, of course, that you brought everything I need."

"Did you one better; I threw in a pre-scribed scroll of my own so you won't have to waste too much time making more." As they reached the outer gates of the Tendo estate, a concerned look crossed Reika's face. "Hey… you think they'll be able to handle it?"

"I don't know, Reika… that's really up to them now."

"You planning on training 'em?"

"If they decide to embrace the gift, I don't see that I have any choice…" He paused as the front door to the house opened.

"I thought I heard something going on out… Oh, my!" Kasumi's eyes widened as she noticed Ukyo slung over Shingen's shoulder and Konatsu leaning groggily on Reika's. She practically tripped over her own feet as she darted to Shingen's side. "What's Ukyo doing here? Is she alright? Did someone attack her?"

"She'll be okay for now, Kasumi-san," Shingen said calmly. "Let's just get her inside; she just had a bit of a nasty shock." He shifted her limp body so that she was resting more comfortably, then started in the front door. "By the way, I don't believe you've met my sister…"

* * *

"Hey… you okay, 'kane?" 

Akane took a deep breath and nodded, somewhat jerkier than she had intended. "I'm fine," she said with a slight shake in her voice.

Ranma sighed. "Now I know yer lying. I can see it written all over you, Akane, you're not fine and you know it. C'mon… what's wrong?"

They were walking home together after an extended afternoon of being grilled by the other Furinkan students; their act of mutual tolerance had slipped once or twice after lunch, and that only got the rumor mills grinding faster. Fortunately Nabiki, for the first time since they'd known her, had actually run a bit of damage control and got some of the stranger rumors cut off before they did much harm. _"Just add another favor to the list,"_ she had said, eliciting at least two dirty looks. Still, the grilling from the others had been a bit much, especially when they started in on the news that Kuno had spent the day in the infirmary in a catatonic state.

Akane slowed her pace somewhat, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay, okay… I'm not that fine. I'm just… I'm just really tired, that's all, Ranma."

Ranma quirked an eyebrow. "Tired as in really tired, tired of the gossip, or tired of the craziness?"

"How about all of the above."

"Ditto," Ranma sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. They shuffled down the road in silence for another minute.

"You still worried about that… whatever that feeling was, at lunch?"

Akane nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Creeped me out a little, too…" Ranma paused, then very slowly put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. She tensed up a little, but soon relaxed and even leaned into him slightly.

"Akane… you know you don't have to accept this whole Hunter mess if you don't want to…"

"I know that," she replied, and he could hear a mix of emotions in her voice. Some of the annoyance he remembered so well from a lot of their past fights… but there was also fear in there. Plus a few other feelings he couldn't quite place… "Ranma, I already made up my mind that I was going to find out more about this- and not just because you were going to embrace it, either. That may be one reason, but it's not the only reason, so don't think I'm just doing it to please you."

"Hey, wait, I never said…"

"Maybe not, but you might have thought about it. This is part of me, and I'm just as curious about it as you are. I'm not just doing this to mirror your decision or be a tagalong; if there's something inside me I don't know about, I think I'd rather know about it than deny it even exists." She took another deep breath and an errant tear ran down the side of her face that Ranma couldn't see. _I denied my own feelings for so long, and it almost wrecked everything… if I deny this, who knows what I might lose out on…_ She swallowed hard. "I'm as much a part of this as you are; I do want this. But… I'm not so sure I'm ready yet."

Ranma nodded slowly. "So all it is is a bad case o' nerves, huh."

"More like a bad case of being a wimp."

"Hey, stop it, alright? You, a wimp? Akane Tendo, the never-say-die macho tomboy, a wimp? C'mon, you're better than that an' you and I both know it." Akane gave him a dirty look in response to the tomboy remark, but couldn't hide the flicker of a smile that went with it. "Okay, so maybe this is a big deal, an' I'll go ahead and admit that chill feeling caught me off guard, but so what. No different than some of the other garbage we dealt with, and if we could deal with that pig demon, then who cares about the odd chill or two." He paused, then looked at her again a bit more seriously. "Just… just so long as you're really sure about wanting this."

Akane gave him a wry smirk. "Are you ever going to stop worrying about me?"

"Sorry, yer just gonna have to get used to that," he quipped. "Hey, I know it might bug you a little… or a lot, actually… but it's not like I can really help worryin' about my fiancée, even when she can handle herself."

Akane shook her head, smiling as she did so. _Guess I won't be able to get you to change that anytime soon… but maybe that isn't such a bad thing. At the very least, I know you'll always be there for me, Ranma… just like I want to try and be there for you._ She looked up and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "C'mon, dummy, let's get home before they start to send out a search party."

"Amen to that," Ranma replied. "You sure you're okay now?"

"Not really," was her answer. He looked at her for a moment in surprise until she looked up again with a grin. "But I'm getting there. Wanna race home?"

"Um… okay, but first you tell me what it was you never got to ask me on Tuesday."

Akane froze just as she was about to jump onto the fence. "Oh… _that._"

"Hey, you did say you'd tell me after school, so tell me."

She turned to face Ranma, her hands behind her back. "Well… actually, I was wondering…" She stopped, suddenly finding her fingernails quite fascinating. _Gods, this is so embarrassing…_

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking that… maybe… well…"

"What? What is it? C'mon, it can't be that bad."

"Um… well, you know we never really did have that many chances to just be together… the way our dads kept pushing us and all… and the few times we did, those didn't really work out so well." She cleared her throat. "And I know technically it doesn't matter since we're already engaged, but… you know… we never actually… that is…"

"Went anywhere as a couple?" Ranma finished, to which she nodded.

"Even that one time we went to the fair last year, back when Cologne had you stuck with the full-body cat's tongue… that wasn't really much, and we got pushed into that anyway…"

Ranma took a step closer and put a hand on her shoulder. "So… you were trying to ask me out on a date on Tuesday?" he asked, slightly amused.

"No! That's not… I mean…" She stopped, then sighed. "Well… yeah, maybe I was. But then all hell broke loose and we had to deal with your curse, then Ryoga's, then this news about our blood and…"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Ranma paused, then smirked. "Uh… correct me if I'm wrong, but maybe I should have been the one asking _you_ if you wanted to go out… I mean… after all, we did admit how we feel about each other… so…"

Akane gave him a lopsided grin of her own. "I figured if I waited for you to ask, I'd be waiting until Tokyo Tower falls down," she chuckled, then looked at him a bit more seriously. "Um… so…"

"Yeah…"

"Then… do you want to?"

Ranma was silent for a few long seconds, then smiled and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I'll tell ya when we get home."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Hey, you made me wait to hear the question, so it's only fair, right?" He smirked and gave her a playful peck on the cheek before springing onto the fence, leaving her staring at him.

"And just how exactly is that supposed to be fair? Come on, give me a straight answer, Ranma!" She was trying to look angry with him, but something tugged at the corner of her mouth and gave her a more bemused look.

"Sorry, Acchan, but ya gotta catch me first!" he chortled before backing along the fence leisurely. Akane shook her head and started laughing as she jumped up on the fence; the two of them sped easily down the road, trading verbal jabs and laughing all the way back to the dojo.

Neither one of them noticed an especially ugly imp step out from its hiding place in a bush, its horrific green eyes narrowed in consternation. Rubbing its clawlike hands together, it glanced up and down the street before launching itself into the air, spreading its ragged wings and heading west.

_The Master will not be pleased,_ it thought to itself as it erased its presence from all physical sight, effectively vanishing into thin air.

* * *

Their arrival at the dojo coincided with a departure. Ryoga was waiting at the front gate, with Akari at his side and Katsunishiki sitting nearby looking bored. He still had slight red markings on his face, the remnants of the conversation he had had with the household that morning, before Ranma and Akane had so abruptly left for school. Oddly enough, Akane hadn't been the one to slap him first- Ryoga had nearly fallen back on habit and almost started verbally sniping Ranma, but had gotten quickly cut off and properly chastised when _Kasumi_ slapped him. She had then said something softly about him remembering his own dishonorable actions involving his other form and her baby sister, to which he broke down and apologized to both of them. 

Akane had eventually relented and accepted his apology- after giving him one last good smack as a reminder.

That had all happened hours before. Ranma glanced questioningly at Ryoga for a moment, at which point Akari spoke up and explained; the two of them were heading back to the Unryuu estate. Ryoga apparently needed some time to think, especially after what had happened the night before, and she had insisted on taking him home. It wasn't hard to notice Ryoga blush when she mentioned that part, and he quickly threw in an addendum of his own… that once he'd gotten himself together, he'd be back, and whatever happened would happen. It wasn't exactly a declaration of truce, but for Ranma, it was enough for now.

"Hey, when you do come back to town… try not to announce yer presence by jackhammerin' the pavement with that umbrella," he remarked offhand. Ryoga gave him a short glare, but quickly relented and caught Ranma's hand in a handshake that would've made most men wince.

"Just don't go soft on me before I see you again," Ryoga said with one eyebrow quirked. Ranma raised an eyebrow back at him and smiled, but said nothing. Akane gave Akari a good-bye hug and wished her the best; Ryoga turned to Akane but fell short of giving her a hug or even a handshake. All that passed between them was a sad nod of his head and his whispered request that they could eventually be friends again. She didn't say anything, but eventually smiled weakly and nodded her head before saying goodbye.

_I hope we can be friends again, too,_ Akane thought as she watched them climb aboard the sumo pig and ride away at a good pace. _You were a nice guy at times, Ryoga… I can't ever forget what you did, but if you're really sorry… and it sure sounded that way… maybe I can forgive._

She was running that train of thought through her mind as the two of them stepped inside, only to be interrupted by the presence of other arrivals… a woman dressed in black and gray whom she'd never met before, a familiar kunoichi in scarlet garb and the unmistakable scent of okonomiyaki being grilled. The first two sat in the dining room discussing something, apparently related to fashion, while Shingen sat next to the strange girl as he was discussing something with Nodoka. Soun and a panda were quietly playing shogi.

"Um… we're home…" Ranma started, slightly at a loss for words, just as Ukyo came around the corner with several plates that she quickly set on the table. She turned to head back to the kitchen, spotting Ranma and Akane in the process. Upon recognition her eyes widened, and the next second she had practically knocked both of them over and was hugging Ranma desperately.

"Uk… Ukyo?" Akane stared in shock for a moment as a familiar jealous twinge poked at her brain; she quickly forced the 'old Akane' urge to the back of her mind when she saw that Ukyo was crying. "Hey… are… are you okay?"

"Uh… yeah, what's goin' on? We kinda noticed ya hadn't been to school in the past couple days," Ranma added, not sure what say or what to do with his hands. "I thought maybe you'd gotten sick…"

Ukyo sniffled. "I was sick," she mumbled. "Sick of myself. Sick of this whole mess, sick of not fighting fair…" She pulled back and looked Ranma in the eye. "I made a huge mistake last Sunday when… when I showed up and…" She shook her head. "I could've really hurt someone, especially you two… I'm so sorry, Ran-chan, Akane… I didn't mean to, I just lost it because of that stupid idea I had stuck in my brain, that I had to win you over, make you mine…" Ukyo sniffled once again and looked at them both. "I never thought about how anyone else felt, and I forgot what it really meant to be just a friend. I'm really sorry… to both of you."

"She came by earlier today to say the same to all of us," Kasumi said softly as she stepped by the three of them, giving Ukyo a gentle pat on the back. "It's okay, Ukyo-chan. You don't have to keep beating yourself up; we've already forgiven you." Ukyo just shrugged and mumbled something incoherent.

"Ukyo…" Akane whispered.

"Please, you don't have to forgive me if you don't want to, Akane. I know I've been enough of a pain in the butt as it is; some of the stunts I pulled aren't much better than what Shampoo was doing… maybe if… maybe if it wasn't for that stupid, _stupid_ blood oath or the fact that my own father never wanted me in the first place…" Her words faltered and fresh tears made their way down her cheeks. Akane's will finally faltered and she put a hand on Ukyo's shoulder, pulling her into an embrace; Ranma's own arm went around her back and Ukyo's cries softened as she felt herself being hugged from two directions.

"Ukyo, just take it easy," Akane said, stunned by the emotions Ukyo was displaying. "It's… it's not that big a deal, really; it wasn't all your fault." She looked at Ranma and could clearly see concern in his eyes, with some confusion as well. "Look, I'm not blaming you for what happened, and you haven't really been that big a pain…" Ukyo just shook her head and stared at the floor.

"No, Akane, I have been a pain." She looked up again and wiped her eyes with her arm. "After that mess happened on Sunday I realized I'd finally pushed it too far… but I just couldn't figure out what to say… took me till Tuesday to even find the guts to level with both of ya, face to face… and then I saw you having words with Shampoo and I heard what you were saying…"

"You saw that?" Ranma asked, blinking. "But I never even saw ya…"

"I did." The three of them turned and noticed Shingen standing next to them, leaning against a nearby wall. "She was on a side street; I didn't notice her until after you'd left for school. I didn't sense any sort of threat, so I didn't say anything."

Ranma scowled. "Might've made things easier if ya had, Shingen." Kasumi politely excused herself and headed into the dining room.

"It's not important, Ranma," Ukyo admonished. "Fact is, when I heard what you were sayin' to Shampoo, it kinda woke me up inside… especially that bit about love nor being a dog collar." She sniffled. "I was so caught up in trying to please my old man an' remembering when you called me cute… that I didn't notice I was tryin' to pull you down like all the others. And… and when I did see it… it made me sick." She reached out and grabbed both Ranma and Akane's hands. "I wanna start over, please. And I'm not talking about blood feuds or marriage arrangements… I just wanna be friends again, that's all. With both of you." She paused again, looking at the floor. "If you'll let me, that is…"

For a moment, no one said anything. Ranma looked at Ukyo, then back to Akane. Akane looked at him, then nodded and smiled ever so slightly. He smiled back and he drew Ukyo back into a friendly embrace.

"That's all I ever wanted, Ucchan. You were one of the best friends I had when I was a kid; I don't wanna lose that." He paused, then gave her a serious look. "But… ya do know that's all it'll ever really be, right? I care about ya a lot… but I can't ever be more than just a friend to you. I'm sorry."

Ukyo looked up and graced him with a weak smile. "I know that, Ran-chan. I knew all along who you really cared for the most; I just never accepted it." Both Akane and Ranma blushed, prompting Ukyo to smirk. "But I think now I can. I… I just didn't want to lose you as a friend because I behaved like such a jackass."

"It's okay, Ukyo. I told you, it wasn't all your fault," said Akane warmly, just before a shadow of concern passed over her face. "But… wait a moment, what about that blood debt? About having to either kill Ranma or marry him to satisfy your family honor?"

Ukyo shook her head and looked Akane in the eyes. "What about it? The only thing that feud ever got me was a lot of pain and wasted time, not to mention clouding my own judgment on the whole mess… for all I know, my old man probably cooked up that whole scheme just to get me out of the house for good. He never really wanted a daughter anyways… probably tried to pawn me off on Genma and Ran-chan for the same reason… c'mon, what kind of a _real_ father figure would do something like that?"

All three of them paused and shot a joint glance at Genma, who remained oblivious, absorbed in how to swap out a shogi piece without Soun noticing.

"So you're just gonna drop the whole thing?" Ranma asked, slightly astonished. "Even with that whole honor thing hangin' over you? C'mon, there has to be some other way; maybe we could repay yer dad for the yatai or…"

"Why bother?" Ukyo replied, her jaw set but her eyes wavering. "He'd just say it wasn't enough, or something about following the feud to the letter; forget it. I ain't dealing with that kinda crap. No more. I'm just gonna call it quits and live my own damn life from now on." She shot another look at the panda and smiled a predatory grin. "I am still gonna teach Genma one more lesson at some point, it's just as much his own fault… but no more of the other stuff. I don't need my old man; I can take care of myself."

"Ukyo…" Akane murmured.

"Even if… even if he disowns ya?" Ranma asked, incredulously.

"Look, it's not important right now, sugar," Ukyo replied. "It's been a real long day, some of which kinda freaked the living daylights outta me; I'd rather we just forget about it, okay? Come on, I made everyone some of my special deluxe recipe as a way of making amends," she continued, pulling the two of them into the dining room. "And I promise you, these okonomiyaki won't blow up in front of ya." With a shrug, the two relented and allowed the chef to escort them to the table. Shingen followed suit, and it wasn't long before every one of them had their own unique Ucchan's masterpiece in front of them. Akane wasn't surprised that Ranma's was a little larger than everyone else's; she _was_ surprised that her own seemed to be just about as intricately prepared as his.

It also hadn't escaped her attention that Ukyo had flinched slightly when Ranma had mentioned the possibility of being disowned.

She made a note to remember it as she noticed several other things occurring around the table- Soun and Genma finally tearing themselves away from the shogi board to eat. Nodoka discussing something with Shingen again, something that apparently caused her much consternation. The strange woman in black and gray introducing herself as Reika, and mentioning that she was Shingen's sister. Konatsu glancing yearningly in Ukyo's direction- and eliciting a warm smile from her every once in a while. Akane also noticed that Ukyo was occasionally glancing at Shingen, and- oddly enough- blushing once or twice when he looked back.

_I wonder what's going on,_ Akane thought to herself as she ate. _Ukyo said something about something freaking the living daylights out of her… and with the way she's glancing at Shingen… what exactly was it that happened today?_

_

* * *

_

"She was attacked by a Reaver."

"What?" Akane asked, astonished. "She got _attacked_ earlier? Attacked by a… a what?"

"A Reaver; a snakelike demon also referred to as a Soul Eater," Shingen replied as he paced back and forth in the mostly empty training hall. "They target people under great stress or those overwhelmed by sadness, then strike at that person's soul, stealing their will to live." He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "Fact is, Reavers are often the largest cause of suicides, but almost nobody knows this since they usually strike in an incorporeal state."

"Good gods, and one o' them tried to get Ukyo today?" Ranma said with a hint of anger. "What the hell for?"

"Well, either it felt her at an emotional rock bottom and decided to take advantage… or something summoned it here."

"SUMMONED it?" Akane gasped.

"Personally, I'm hoping it was a coincidence, Akane," Shingen said calmly. "As it is, it obviously didn't succeed, I felt its presence outside the dojo and took care of it… but it might've been too late if that strange boy in red hadn't tried to confront it."

"Konatsu tried to fight this thing?"

"That's what he said this afternoon, and I did see him get flung into a wall by that snake, Akane."

Ranma blinked. "You're saying Ukyo coulda been taken out by this thing if Konatsu hadn't stuck his neck on the line?" Shingen nodded, and Ranma scowled to himself. "Dammit… an' you said there was a possibility these things could be summoned?"

"A slim possibility, but yes…"

"That must be what I felt this afternoon," Akane said in a subdued voice. "Shingen… you said she was heading here around noon, and then she was attacked?" At his nod, she shivered and looked at Ranma. "Right about the time I had those weird chills down my back."

"Hey… yer right," Ranma said quietly. "That's either a really big coincidence, or something a lot bigger."

"It could be your own latent aura sense coming to bear," Shingen mused.

"Whatever it is, it seems pretty obvious that something's amiss in a big way," came a female voice from the other side of the door. It slid open, and Reika stepped inside. "I just had a talk with Father," she continued, snapping a black cellphone shut. "Apparently he's been making some steady observations and chaotic energies have started picking up bit by bit over this ward, even with the two Purges you've executed."

"You mean things are getting worse?" Akane asked, eyes wide.

"In a word, you got it, sister," Reika replied with a quirked smile. Akane blinked and gave her an annoyed glance; she hadn't known Reika very long but she seemed to be just a little too casual to Akane's taste.

"So what happens now?" Ranma asked.

"That actually depends on something, Ranma," Shingen said, looking at him and Akane with a gaze that was deadly in its seriousness. "You've had some time to think about what I told you last night. Now I need to know… have you made a decision?"

Ranma paused, looking over at Akane. She said nothing, but took a few steps, sidling next to him and giving a very minute but firm nod. He nodded back, then turned to Shingen.

"Yeah… might as well know about this 'gift' so it don't come back and bite us later on," he said in a low voice. "I… uh, I mean… we wanna find out more about this."

Akane nodded in confirmation, then shrugged. "I'll admit, it feels kinda big… but that never stopped us before, and Kami knows Ranma doesn't back down from a challenge like this." She smirked as he gave her an exasperated look, then reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Good, that means that package won't be going to waste," said Reika, stretching her arms over her head.

"Package? Wait a minute, Reika, what package?"

"Nothing to worry about, Shingen. Father mentioned something about a package he sent out through express mail this morning; he told me on the phone it should be here by tomorrow before lunch." She glanced over Ranma and then Akane before looking her brother in the eye. "He said it was something to do with their training, if they decided to accept their bloodline power. He didn't say more."

Shingen looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "So there's not much else to do except preparations, then."

"Yeah, but this one you'll have to handle by yourself, big bro. I only stopped over long enough to get you your gear and visit for a while; I'm due in Shinjuku in a couple of hours and I gotta go."

"Always busy, I see," Shingen said with an amused shake of his head.

"Look who's talking; one of these days I swear you're gonna burn yourself out with all the assignments you take on," Reika laughed. Shingen laughed in response and pulled Reika into a hug. "You take care of yourself, Shingen, you got that?"

"You do the same, Reika," was his reply. A moment later, the girl in black had gathered up her things, said a quick goodbye and good luck to both Akane and Ranma, and she was out the door.

"She seemed… interesting," Akane said slowly.

"Yeah, well, that's my sister for you," was Shingen's reply. He straightened his bandanna and the look in his eyes turned serious. "You know what happens now, of course."

Ranma blinked, then a look of recognition came over him. "Yeah… now we start training."

"Exactly," the taller man said. "I'm not going to lie, it won't be easy. On top of that, with things moving the way they are now, I'm not going to be able to move at a slow and easy pace; we still have three curse victims to deal with, not to mention the occasional imp and your own obligations."

"Yeah, we've already missed a lot of school because of the craziness we had before you even got here," said Akane wearily. "We'll probably be lucky if we both don't fail out…"

"Hey, c'mon 'kane, our grades aren't that bad."

"They're not that great either, Ranma… and don't give me that look, I'm just being honest," she continued. "And let's not even get into both our attendance records…"

"We'll have to make do with what we have," Shingen interjected. "I know you mentioned you were training together, so keep at that whenever you have a moment. As for what I can show you, I checked with Nabiki and apparently this Saturday is a full day off, rather than just a half day; we can use that to our advantage."

"Huh? What's so special about this Saturday?"

"She said something about Principal Kuno and an all-you-can-eat Hawaiian breakfast buffet…"

Akane and Ranma both groaned before Shingen continued. "In any case, that means we have from the end of school tomorrow until Sunday evening available; I can execute one Purge tomorrow once I've had some rest tonight, then split time between you both and scribing new wards. I've already taken a look around town today and I picked up some gear and a decent location, just in case you decided to accept."

Akane blinked. "You're saying…"

Shingen nodded. "First thing after school tomorrow, pack your bags. We're going on a two-day retreat and giving both of you a crash course in Hunter abilities. Just the basics for now; advanced techniques will have to wait."

"You mean we're starting right away?" Akane asked. "Wait, what do we tell our parents? Dad'll go nuts if he hears about any of this Hunter business!"

"He doesn't have to know," said Shingen. "Only one person knows about what we've discussed concerning your potential, and I think she can keep both of your fathers under control. Certainly seems strong enough to turn Saotome-san into a cowering fool."

"You told my mom about this?"

"Ranma, someone had to know. And in all honesty, yes, she is worried about both of you, but Nodoka-san also saw what you both did in the face of that succubus just the other day. She's a good woman, Ranma, and she trusts your judgment in the matter."

Ranma didn't say anything for a moment, then slumped his shoulders and looked at the floor. "Damn…"

Akane put a hand on his shoulder. "Ranma?"

Another long moment passed by, then he looked up again- this time with his trademark lopsided grin.

"Guess we're not gonna get a chance to go out this weekend," he quipped.

"Oh… you!" Akane groaned, slipping into laughter as he did likewise.

Shingen smiled and folded his arms. _They're just like me and sis back when we were that age_, he thought quietly.

_I just hope they can cope with a crash training program._

_With the way things seem to be moving… we really don't have any other choice._

To Be Continued.

* * *

Author's note 4/26/05: This one took a little longer than I thought, mainly due to the hell I call day to day life and my imagination well running a little low. The next chapter may take some time as well; I'm a bit fried and anticipate it may take two weeks for my next installment. Just need a little time to decompress. 

Cultural note: I looked it up online and the typical Japanese school week is five full days, Monday through Friday,and a half day on Saturday. I'm guessing Furinkan High has similar standards, but with all the crazy goings-on they more than likely don't stick to that schedule as often as one might think.

On another note, yes I did use a pet name again, and while I only used it once in the chapter I don't intend to forego the occasional term of endearment completely. The fact is, our famous duo went through hell in Jusendo and just revealed that they love each other- they're growing up. Plus, Ranma's pet name for Akane isn't even an original idea of mine- I've seen it used in multiple fanfics and I thought it sounded nice. That's my own opinion, and while I respect the opinion of those who don't like it, I'm not planning to get rid of it completely. There, end of rant.

Dragon Man 180: I have to give you credit for incorporating Konatsu into the medly; I hope I portrayed him well, as I know little other than what I've read on webpages. As for who gets cured next… you'll have to wait and see.

Travis Lock: Demon Akane… that may or may not work into the flow of the story I've envisioned, but it would indeed be interesting to see. Whether it happens, remains to be seen.

Wonderbee31: Just couldn't resist throwing in that cliffhanger there. I agree, Ukyo is one of the nicer people in the series; I had no real intentions of harming her at this point.

Borg rabbit: Thanks, man. I do plan to complete this story sooner or later, it's just a matter of how long.

SteelPhoenix3825: Thank you very much for the compliment; thought the mallet could use a bit of a cameo. As for the pet name detail… see note above.

Priestess Kohana: Hope you found this update to your liking as far as resolution of last chapter's cliffhanger. Thanks for your support.

Luna12: Thanks, I thought it was time the Kuno sibs got whacked over the head with a clue-by-four. And who doesn't think two rival chefs, having both lost the man they fought over, wouldn't sit down and drown their sorrows?

Taro MD: Yes it was an evil twist, and I'm not so heartless as to kill Ukyo off like that. Hope you liked this installment, and nice work on ATC.

Death the Destroyer: In response to your questions. The supplies have arrived, any advanced magic would take more than a crash course to learn but might be learned eventually. As for a weapon… you'll have to wait and see for the answer.

Thanks to everyone who reads this; I'll update when I can but it will be at least ten days if not two weeks before I do. One thing I can promise, I'm not one of those authors who only updates every three months. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	20. Portents, Purges, and Boot Camp

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The slight delay in posting can be attributed to life handing me a few extra work loads- that and some R&R I was needing. That said, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 20: Portents, Purges and Boot Camp

* * *

Far from the streets of Nerima, in a place beyond the sight of man, a mind was stirring. A mind long saturated in darkness, filled with vengeful thoughts and a myriad number of plots and designs. A patient mind, but irked by its sheer inability to act directly, imprisoned as it was. Long years had passed since the seal had been placed, long years spent in quiet contemplation and action through indirect means. Years spent planning revenge. Manipulating countless minions to bring news of the outside world. Watching minute machinations working towards its own designs.

The owner of the mind frowned, unsure what to make of the images brought by the imp before it. Part of the mind was disgusted, while another part calculated the ramifications and smiled.

_It would appear they are indeed drawing closer together. And their blood is awakening as well._

_It is as I had expected. It was a rather high expectation for me to think they could be driven apart; the bond between them is just too strong. Even those who actively prodded into their affairs have failed… as foreseen._

_So. Akureiko has fallen, dispelled by one of those accursed Hunters. And she truly thought she could keep the boy all to herself… such a gullible succubus. Cunning, but easily swayed. Seized the chance to possess that youth and thwart the threads of destiny, all because of his looks. I almost feel guilty about sending her to her doom. Almost._

_Still, her death will serve my purpose, as will the death of Onibuta. That avaricious hog never could see beyond his tusks…_

_Only a few more seals remain. Only a few more spirits to break the bond… whether they be human or demon, so long as they are marked, they will serve my purpose._

_Once that is accomplished, I will finish what should have been done long ago… and then extinguish those two lights before their flame grows any brighter. Yes… it will be pleasing sport to toy with them once I am free._

A violet eye opened in the darkness. _Go now, my servants; be my eyes and ears. Watch those that bear my mark, and let the game run its course._

The eye closed again as the mind fell into deep meditation. The only sound was the scuttling and chirping of numerous imps as they fled the darkness, heading for the surface world to obey their master.

From the heart of the darkness, the mind laughed quietly to itself.

* * *

Early Friday morning found most of the Tendo household awakened by the sounds of combat. Kasumi, being awake already, took little notice of the battle cries and occasional thumps that echoed from the training hall; she merely nodded her head and returned to her morning chores. It wasn't until the sound of a board being smashed wafted through the air that Soun made his own entrance to the dining room, semi-awake but panicked. Nodoka and Genma soon followed, with a very groggy Nabiki bringing up the rear.

"Kasumi! What in the world is going on? And at such an early hour!" Soun demanded. Kasumi opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by another battle cry; the second it pierced the air, Soun blinked and began to tremble. "That… that wasn't…"

"That sounded an awful lot like Akane," Nodoka mused. Genma nodded in agreement.

"Oh, she's with Ranma right now," Kasumi replied with a nod. Another crash rent the air, followed by a growl of aggravation that wasn't Akane's.

Soun's jaw hung open, followed by his tear ducts switching to overdrive. "OH NO! They're fighting again!" he bawled, prompting Nodoka to shake her head in shame. "And t-they were getting along so w-well, too! Now what do we do?" He whirled on Genma, his eyes suddenly ablaze. "Saotome, if that son of yours has hurt my baby again…"

"He wouldn't dare, Tendo!" the balding fat man shot back. "I should think he'd know by now that…"

"Father! Mr. Saotome!" Kasumi snapped. Both men froze and glanced in her direction; she had her arms folded and a distressed look on her face. "Before you start getting ideas, they're not fighting. They're sparring! They said so when they came down a short while ago… besides, don't you remember? They did the same thing last night after Ukyo left and you didn't so much as raise an eyebrow then! Don't tell me you forgot!"

Both men blinked and then grinned sheepishly. "Um… well…"

"Still sleepy, Kasumi… sort of slipped my mind…" Kasumi sighed and turned around, heading back into the kitchen.

"Sparring again after last night?" Nabiki mumbled, stifling a yawn. "Woulda thought they'd sleep in, not be up at the crack o' dawn for another round. They gotta be sore as hell by now."

She shook her head, remembering how they'd spent a good three hours in the dojo the previous night, running through speed drills, several different katas and a host of other exercises before finally calling it a night. Nabiki had peeked in at one point and was astonished by the sight she had seen- Akane sparring with Ranma in his girl form, and despite the fact that the redhead was pulling her punches, Akane was holding her own exceptionally well. Every once in a while Ranma-chan would toss out a playful taunt- _"Couldn't hit a snail at that pace, Akane!" "Cmon, think a little tap like that's gonna faze me?" "That can't be all ya got, try kickin' for real this time!"_ And with every taunt, Nabiki had been amazed that not only was Akane not bashing Ranma's skull in, she was shrugging it off and tightening up her moves at the same time. By Nabiki's calculations, Akane was maybe two to three times faster and more focused than she had been before she and Ranma had ever met.

"Still amazed she's even letting him train with her," she muttered to herself. "Guess people really do change over time."

"It's not right, though," Genma scoffed, arms folded. "The boy can't be getting a decent enough workout just sparring with her. I'd better have a go at him once they finish."

"Genma, I think perhaps you'd best rest up today," said Nodoka calmly. "From what I understand, young Yamashira-san has what he needs to treat your condition… and you wouldn't want to be worn out when you do get treated, now would you?" She looked at him with a pleasant smile and steely eyes. "It could be painful if you wear yourself out beforehand…"

Genma blanched, then quickly composed himself. "On the other hand, the boy has been pretty active as of late and two sparring matches in succession does do wonders for the circulation, so I suppose I could let it rest for today. Though I will expect him to face me for a _real_ workout the moment he comes home."

"You might have to wait on that, too, dearest," Nodoka said with another smile. "Don't forget that he and Akane are going on that short training trip as soon as they get back from school."

"WHAT?" Soun cried. "When was this decided? A training trip? But they only just returned from China not long ago… and what about school? What about… what… what if my baby gets hurt?"

"Dad, cut it out, you're embarrassing me," Nabiki groaned. "Akane's been on training trips before and she dealt with it just fine. Besides, I thought you knew about this; she told us about it last night, remember? You and Mr. Saotome both approved of it, and if memory serves you also mentioned giving your consent if they decided to elope."

Both men glanced at each other and blinked again; apparently they _had_ made one too many trips to the sake bottle the previous night. Nabiki shook her head in exasperation. Nodoka just sighed.

"Well… I suppose if we approved of it, then there's not much else to do but give them our blessing, eh, Tendo?" said Genma as he patted his best friend heartily on the back. "Indeed, it could be the thing that draws them together at long last."

"Perhaps, but I would not recommend that either of you begin any wedding preparations in their absence," Nodoka said sweetly. "You do remember what happened last time, and I'm sure you remember the chat we had earlier this week. No funny business." Both men paused a moment, then nodded with a resigned sigh and plodded to the breakfast table. Nodoka remained where she was, turning her attention back to the sounds of sparring. A concerned air shone in her eyes.

_If they only knew what this trip of yours entailed, they'd likely go to pieces,_ she thought to herself. _I'm still having a hard time believing it myself… my boy and my future daughter-in-law, both with the potential to become just like Shingen-kun? It… it's beyond anything I'd ever thought could happen to those two, even counting what's already happened to them… and more than that, how did it happen? Is there something more to the Saotome clan or the Tendo clan than I knew about? Or… or was there more to my father's bedtime stories than I thought?_ She shook her head slowly and brushed a few errant auburn hairs out of her eyes.

_This all seems just so dangerous… the very idea that not only do they have the potential, but the desire to tap this 'gift' Shingen told me about… I can understand my son wanting to explore it, but Akane as well? I always thought she'd prefer to stay away from such things, not embrace them. It certainly can't lead to a peaceful life if they pursue it._ She pursed her lips for a moment, noting that the sounds of combat in the dojo had died down. A moment later a smile passed her face when she heard Ranma say something- through the walls she couldn't make it out- and Akane replied with a happy-sounding laugh, joined quickly by a laugh of his own.

_Then again… perhaps I'm underestimating her. I just hope they both know what they're doing, and can keep each other safe._

"Nice bit o' footwork there, 'kane. You almost had me with that leg sweep… almost, but not quite," Ranma said jovially as he entered the main house, sweaty and more than a little disheveled. Akane was much the same way, and wore a big smile on her face.

"Just you watch, Ranma; one of these days I'll pin you instead of the other way around."

"Oh, really? Maybe, but you gotta long way to go before you get the best of me."

"Is that what you think?" Akane quipped, the smile never leaving her face. "That's not what you said when I got you with that 'special' technique and pulled you into a shoulder throw when your guard was down!"

"Hey, that was a cheap trick and you know it!" Ranma shot back, his face flushing slightly.

"Uh-uh, Ranma. We _are_ Anything Goes, after all." Akane playfully spun on her heel and darted for the bathroom, leaving an embarrassed looking Ranma standing next to a bemused Nodoka.

"Um… not that it's any of my business, son… but what did she mean by 'special' technique?"

Ranma turned beet-red and looked at the floor. "It's nothing, Mom…"

"That's not how it looks to me. What happened?"

He sighed; obviously he wasn't going to get out of this one. "She… uh… geez, Mom, this is ridiculous…"

"Ranma…"

"She… uh… shekissedmeinthemiddleofourmatch," he blurted out in a very low voice. "Didn't expect it in the midst of a fight, so I kinda lost my cool… an' whatever you do, don't tell Pops or Mr. Tendo about this," he finished, his red face now almost purple and eyes locked to the floor. Nodoka blinked in surprise, but said nothing and slowly smiled from ear to ear.

_So even my brave, manly son has a tiny weak point, she mused to herself with a quiet chuckle._

_

* * *

_

_Okay. Now, I've officially seen everything,_ Nabiki thought to herself. She glanced up and to her left, shaking her head in disbelief at the sight of her sister doing something she never thought she'd see in her life- walking the fence a few steps ahead of Ranma, and with only an occasional wobble or two.

They were walking home after one of the strangest school days at Furinkan within the past year. Not because of any impromptu panty raids by a certain aged lecher, or the principal doing spot inspections on hairstyles. Nor had there been any strange spirits, carnivorous plants, transfer students with agendas or even random challenges. In fact, _nothing_ had happened that day- with the exception of Ranma and Akane dropping the façade of mutual tolerance a few more notches- which made it the strangest day they'd had in a long time. Even Kuno's poetry-spouting presence had been silenced; he had been conspicuously absent from all his classes on grounds of 'ill health'. About the only really odd thing that had happened, in Nabiki's eyes, was seeing Akane and her future brother-in-law on the fence together.

"Never would've thought you'd have the guts to try something like that, imotochan," she said at length.

Akane shrugged slightly but continued walking. "I wasn't too sure about it myself at first, Nabiki," she said, "but it really isn't that hard once you get the hang of it. Actually, it's kind of fun- like a game."

"Still, it's gotta take a lot of nerve to get up there in the first place."

"Yeah, at first," said Ranma with a shrug. "Same thing I went through when Pops pushed me into doing this years ago. But ya get over it; it helps not to think about it an' just do it."

"Which isn't too hard for you, since you don't do too much thinking anyway," Akane giggled.

"Hey, just remember who taught ya how to do this in the first place," Ranma replied with a mock glare.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," she answered with another giggle.

"Actually," Nabiki drawled, "I wasn't talking about getting the nerve to balance on the fence per se." She threw a sly glance upward at Akane's skirt. "Just the guts to be up there when soooo many people could walk up and take a nice loooong look…"

"NABIKI!"

The older girl laughed. "Just pointing out the obvious, sis. You're in a prime position to put on quite a show there."

"For your information," Akane huffed, "I took that into consideration when Ranma and I started training like this; I've been wearing my jogging shorts under my uniform for the past few days just in case."

"Ohhhh… I see," said Nabiki. "Not a bad idea, Akane… though I bet Ranma must've been disappointed when he found out," she finished with a wink. Both Akane and Ranma flushed at once and each skidded to a halt on the fence before hopping down.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?"

"Hey, chill out little bro, I was just teasing." Nabiki shot him a sly glance. "Though the thought had to have crossed your mind, at least."

"I hate to burst your bubble, oneechan," Akane sighed, "but it was actually Ranma's idea that I wear the shorts."

Nabiki blinked and slowed a bit. "His idea?" She glanced at Ranma, who looked away, then back to Akane, who simply nodded. _That goofball actually thought about her modesty? Okay, now this is getting to be a bit much; first he takes her seriously as a martial artist, then he has the sense to suggest an embarrassment deterrent instead of sneaking a peek himself. Either he's done some serious growing up since that last trip to China, or he's trying real hard to avoid a mallet to the gourd…_ She coughed a bit and picked up the pace. "Well… not bad thinking there, Saotome. Guess you didn't get _that_ from your dad," she added with another smirk.

"There's a whole lotta things I'm glad I didn't get from him," Ranma muttered. "An' a few things I wish the fat baka had kept to himself." The trio turned a corner and started the last quarter-mile back to the dojo.

Akane stretched her arms over her head with a relaxed sigh. "I still can't believe we get a full day off tomorrow," she said. "I mean, not that we won't be busy all day anyways…"

"Yeah, something tells me we're gonna be in for it big time, 'kane," Ranma mused. "You got anything planned, Nabiki?"

Nabiki frowned. "Eh, probably not a whole lot… might go see a movie or something, or do a little work on my applications; I still haven't finished the paperwork for Waseda University yet. Or I might check in on Kuno-baby, see if he hasn't been committed yet after that stunt you pulled." She paused, then rolled her eyes towards the other two again. "What about you two? Got anything… 'special' planned for this little training trip of yours?"

Akane shook her head, her cheeks bright pink. "Would you STOP already, sis? It's just a short two-day thing so we can get away and learn a few things about ourselves…" _Oh damn, that still sounded bad…_

"Yeah, what she said," Ranma sputtered. "The dojo's fine an' all, but we could use some more space to focus and get a little more physical… I mean… um…" _OH HELL, I didn't mean that the way that sounded!_

_Geez, that sister of mine's got both of us too damn flustered to think straight,_ Akane thought furiously, feeling her cheeks burn red-hot.

_I know, Acchan, an' I'm getting sick of soundin' like a perv when I ain't tryin' to…_ Ranma started to mentally ramble, but then froze. He'd heard Akane perfectly clearly, but from the corner of his eye, he realized he hadn't seen her lips move. For a brief second, he felt like they'd been holding a conversation in his own head. His eyes widened and he glanced at Akane just as she turned to him with equally saucer-sized eyes.

"Um…" he started.

"What was…" Akane began, and stopped just as he stopped.

"Did you just…" they both started simultaneously before clamming up again. Nabiki stared at them tiredly.

"Geez, what's the big deal, you two? I was just pulling your chain a bit, it's not like I'm really expecting you to fall all over each other while you're away or anything. Besides, I already know Shin-kun's going with you, and in most cases, three does tend to be a crowd." She shook her hair out and folded her hands behind her back. "Now what say we just get home and…"

A sudden, violent scream ripped through the air, stopping Nabiki in mid-sentence. Ranma's head snapped up, as did Akane's, as a powerful pulse of energy rippled through the sidewalk and resonated in their heels. Another scream reached their ears- a high-pitched, agony-laced scream that one would normally associate with horror movies involving college sorority girls and a recluse with a predilection for large pointed objects. Glancing down the street, the walls of the dojo were clearly visible, and winds were beginning to pick up over the backyard. A gust of wind whipped along the sidewalk, accompanied by another shriek which snapped all three high school students out of their reverie.

"Oh gods…" Akane whispered. "What if that's Kasumi… or your mom, Ranma? What if they're…"

"This ain't the time for 'what if's', 'kane," Ranma said sharply. "We gotta get home and find out for sure. Let's move it!" Without a second's hesitation, the two of them slammed their heels into the concrete and began sprinting like mad. Nabiki stared for a split second, then began running herself, praying her older sister wasn't in trouble.

Energy whorls began to pick up over the backyard, and the squeals of pain became more and more frequent the closer Ranma and Akane got to the front gate. Their shoes pounded the pavement faster than either of them had ever run before, except in a few very dire circumstances. Ranma winced as warm blue light began to emanate from the center of the backyard- and then his jaw dropped as the two of them reached the near wall of the dojo and a cyclone of ki erupted merely yards away, creating an ear-piercing shriek and a backwash of energy that sent vibrations through both their bodies. A quick hop, and both of them had cleared the wall and were sprinting towards the back of the house, leaving a very anxious and aggravated Nabiki to make her way through the main gate.

Akane was struck by a sudden thought that the ki vibrations seemed more than a little familiar, just as she and Ranma turned the corner and stepped into the backyard proper. The moment they did, they drummed their feet to a halt and stared.

They weren't alone in their stares. Soun's jaw had hit the back porch and his knees had given out beneath him. Nodoka stood nearby, her hand to her mouth in surprise. Kasumi merely shook her head.

Shingen was standing over Genma's limp, twitching body, releasing a slow even breath as his arms lowered; Dr. Tofu sat nearby keeping Genma's ankles locked to the ground. The ki hexagram just below Genma's torso was fading already. For a few moments, Ranma merely stared at his father in disbelief. _Those were HIS screams? An' that clown accuses ME of being unmanly?_ He didn't notice Akane giggle very slightly, but he did notice when she gasped and tapped his shoulder. Looking up, he noticed something that would normally be very hard to miss under normal circumstances.

Sitting in the backyard was the biggest, fattest, stupidest looking panda Ranma had ever seen in his life. Ten feet tall, and almost as wide, with stubby arms and legs and vacant eyes that inexplicably reminded Ranma of the fat behemoth of Kirin's Seven Lucky Gods team. The only other notable feature about the beast was two bizarre red dots on its forehead, just above its eyes. That small feature aside, it was essentially a giant, bloated fur ball. For a few moments, nobody said a word, but stared in disbelief at the mass of flesh that had materialized in front of them. A slight movement caught Ranma's eye; glancing over, he noticed his mother's shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

The giant panda gazed levelly at the motley group of people before them… and with a 'growf', flopped onto its back with a loud thump and began snoring.

A second or two passed in silence, which was then broken by a snicker. Akane clamped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her reaction to the absurd sight before her, with only marginal success. A second giggle quickly joined it as Nodoka's own suppressed laughs edged out from behind her hand. Shingen shook his head and chuckled, his hand drifting towards his ever-present naginata. "I don't believe it…" Ranma murmured before a guffaw worked its way out of his mouth as well. "Actually, check that… I DO believe it! Is that what the old man had to deal with? Cause it kinda suits him!"

"That looks more like a joke than a demon!" said Akane, trying desperately to recover a straight face through her giggles. "What is that thing anyway?"

"My word, Saotome… that must have been _quite_ a burden to carry with you," Soun mused with a marvelously cool demeanor, marred only by the corner of his mouth twitching upward.

"If I remember correctly, this is probably an Immovable type," said Shingen, glancing the mammoth animal over. "Once they settle into an inconvenient place for others, they can't be moved until they decide to move." The panda's arm suddenly reached out, interrupting Shingen as it broke off a section of the tree by the koi pond; everyone but Shingen stared as the beast began lazily chewing the branch. "Notorious gluttons, too," Shingen added.

"It… it's eating our tree…" Soun stammered before a fainting spell overcame him.

"Oh, my…" Kasumi sighed. "What happens now?"

"I think we need to just get rid of that thing, unless ya want it stuck in the backyard eating the foliage, Kasumi," said Ranma quietly.

"How?" Akane asked. "That thing's so fat it's gonna be pretty hard to find a weak spot; all that padding." The giant panda shifted again and snored even louder.

"Normal punches or slashes do squat against any Immovable, you're right about that," said Shingen as he gave his naginata a quick flip. "So we give him one good solid whack that he can't ignore." Suddenly he sprang into the air, spun once and planted his feet, heels first, into the blubbery beast's belly. Another twirl of his polearm and the blade began to scintillate with white light, seconds before he raised it over his head. The panda snorted and cracked its eyes open ever so slightly, just in time to see Shingen drive the point into its flesh with a loud- yet almost bored- cry. "TENBATSU!"

Ki poured through the blade and two seconds later the panda emitted a strangled 'eep' and imploded on itself, blasting white shimmering particles across the entire backyard. Shingen spun his weapon twice more and the cloud of ex-panda particles evaporated. Turning back to face the others, he rested the naginata on his shoulder and smiled. "No sense wasting energy on one of those bastards if you don't have to. Their defense is great, but _no_ demon is immune to the Tenbatsu strike." He paused, then shrugged. "Well, none that I know of, anyway."

Ranma nodded as he crossed the lawn slowly, kneeling down near Genma's head. "Is he gonna be okay? Sounded like he wasn't that happy a minute ago."

"I hate to say it, Auntie, but when we heard that shriek I was afraid it was you or my sister," Akane said sheepishly. "After what apparently happened to Ukyo yesterday…"

"There's no need to explain, dear," Nodoka replied, sitting down on the porch and shaking her head. "I was just as surprised as you were. What with all his talk about braving the trial better than his own son and all… I have a feeling he didn't know quite what he was getting into." _I certainly didn't have any idea he would react the way he did mere seconds into Shingen's ritual; is this really the same Genma I married? Is THIS the one who swore to raise my son to be a man among men?_ She stared at Genma's lolling head in disbelief, but said nothing further.

"His aura appears to be fine," Dr. Tofu said as he manipulated several pressure points on the elder Saotome's upper body. "Admittedly, it's very weak at the moment, but for its present condition it appears to be stable." Kasumi took a step closer to get a better look; Ranma noticed the doctor's glasses begin to fog up before his right hand snapped up, reflexively touching a spot on the side of his own neck before relaxing again. Akane noticed it as well, especially when the fog left his glasses.

"Must be that pressure point Cologne mentioned," she whispered.

"Hey, whatever keeps him from goin' nuts, I guess," Ranma whispered back. Shingen examined Genma for a moment or two longer, then looked up and nodded to the others.

"Looks like he'll be fine, given time," the Hunter said. "Let's get him inside so he can rest up, and then you two had better come with me. We've got a lot of work to do and not much time to do it in," he continued, pointing to Ranma and Akane as he did so.

* * *

"You say you heard each other say something, but neither of you was speaking?" Shingen asked as he leaned against the door. The three of them were in Ranma's room as he grabbed several shirts and pants and stuffed them into a backpack. Another backpack sat on the floor next to Akane, who had changed out of her uniform and into a set of jean shorts and a blue and white polo shirt. Shingen's duffel bag lay directly by the door.

"Yeah, it's like she was talkin' to me… but she didn't," Ranma replied, confusion in his voice. "All I know is I heard her mention something about bein' too flustered to think straight, and I agreed." He grabbed a bedroll and slid it into the cargo loops on his backpack.

"All I know is I was pissed at Nabiki for teasing us about the trip, and then…" Akane continued, shaking her head. "I thought I was telling myself something private, and then I heard Ranma's voice agreeing with me, but he wasn't moving his lips at all…"

"Sounds like you two inadvertently created an Astral Link," said Shingen, one eyebrow raised. "I didn't think you'd have reached that point yet; must've been the emotion of the moment that triggered it."

"Astral what?" Ranma asked, standing up.

"A form of Hunter communication. My father and I use it to stay in contact, but we've never gotten it to work outside a certain distance, even with amplification wards." _Which makes me think Reika might be right, maybe it's time I started using a cellphone instead._

Akane stared at him. "Are… are you saying that… that Hunters can read minds?"

"Not… exactly. Astral Links can't be made with non-Hunters; it's just a form of silent communication," Shingen replied. "It's kind of hard to explain- it can't really be taught to anyone. Like the Naosu Kousen or the Tenbatsu, it's something that's engrained in all Hunter bloodlines and requires awakening."

Akane blinked and glanced over to see Ranma with a dumbfounded expression on his face. This wasn't what she had been expecting at all. _Great Kami… actually hearing each other's thoughts? That… that means I… I'm totally defenseless now! If he can hear what I'm thinking, I can't hide any secrets from him! I can't surprise him with anything anymore, and… oh no… if he looks hard enough… what if he finds out about… about some of those dreams I've been having about him on and off for the last few months…_ Her face flushed a bright crimson.

"Uh… Akane? You okay?" Ranma's voice snapped her back to attention- but just as quickly made her eyes go wide.

_Oh, kuso…_ "Um… that wasn't… I didn't mean…"

"Didn't mean what? What're you talkin' about? Ya looked like you were wrestling with a math problem or something," he replied easily.

Akane blinked. "You mean… you didn't hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Um… nothing," she stammered, looking down at the floor.

"I think she was scared you were prying into her thoughts," Shingen said with a smirk. "Fact is, under normal circumstances, you have to be actively trying for a Link if you want to hear anything at all- and there's no secrecy about it, a Hunter knows when another one sets up a Link. If you heard each other while you were flustered earlier, it was probably a fluke. Stress and emotional situations can cause accidental Links sometimes." At his words, Akane visibly relaxed.

"Sorry," she murmured. "I'm just a little amazed at this, I didn't think telepathy was on the menu when learning about this power… so I guess I got a little scared."

"Scared of the power, or scared that another Hunter might pry into your privacy?"

"Um… both, actually."

"Hey, I wouldn't try to sneak a peek in yer privacy and you know it, Akane," said Ranma in a slightly hurt tone. "Unless ya think I really am like my old man."

"Ranma, I didn't mean it like that," she answered. "You're right, I do know you… I just got a little unnerved, that's all."

"Ya don't think this weirds me out, too?" Ranma said, the warmth returning to his voice slowly. "Least it ain't like we're hearing each other's thoughts 24/7, you know?"

"All we need to do now is teach you both some better control over it," Shingen interjected. "I didn't think you'd be able to Link this soon, so that might expedite some of our training… but I still won't be able to teach you two much more than combat techniques." He folded his arms and sighed. "Two days isn't nearly enough to learn some of the more complex incantations, or how to scribe a ward properly."

Ranma shrugged. "Eh, whatever. I prefer the hands-on approach, anyway."

Akane nodded. "Me too, I guess…"

"You both know it won't be easy from this point on, right? It's going to be a lot of work; I have to gauge what you can do and then push your limits as far as they can go."

Ranma cracked his knuckles and looked Shingen straight in the eye. "Look, man, I've been through plenty o' hell for the sake of training. I survived the Neko-ken… how, I still don't know… an' I survived all the old ghoul's training techniques, too. I can handle a few more pushes." He paused, then glanced at Akane with a concerned look in his eyes. "How 'bout you, 'kane? You said you wanted to get better."

Akane nodded slowly, and for a brief second she caught a glimmer of the feeling behind his eyes. _You're still worried about me, aren't you… worried I might get hurt. But… but you're more worried that I might back down because of that possibility… and you don't want me to back down, either!_ She looked up again, and nodded a second time, more firmly. "You're right, I do want to get better. And I'm not backing out on this… even if it does seem a little weird at times."

"Excellent," said Shingen as he kneeled down and opened the top of his duffel bag. Reaching in, he rummaged around for a few seconds and then grabbed something. "Might as well start training right now," he continued as he pulled several sets of smallish wrist and ankle weights out of the bag, setting them on the tatami floor mats with a heavy thump. "Put those on."

Ranma and Akane glanced at the weights, then at Shingen. "Right now?"

"Right now," he answered firmly. They looked at the weights again, then shrugged and reached for the pile simultaneously.

"Whoah, what're these things made of?" Akane gasped as she hefted an ankle weight; clearly, size was no measure of how heavy or light the weights were.

"Bit much, dontcha think, Shingen?" said Ranma as he strapped a wrist weight onto his left hand.

"I told you it wasn't going to be an easy time," Shingen said as he stood up to his full height. "From now until we get back, you two don't take those weights off. You'll be building up your stamina at the same time you build strength and speed. Remember, this is a crash course."

"I know," Akane huffed as she fitted her ankle bands in place, "but still… these things have to be two pounds each, and you want us to wear these for two days straight?"

"Two and a half pounds each, actually," Shingen replied. "And for two experienced martial artists like yourselves, ten extra pounds of weight shouldn't be that big a deal. Besides, it's not like you're the only ones." He then reached down and grabbed the cuffs of his jeans; pulling them upward, Ranma and Akane both noticed something they hadn't seen him wearing before- but hadn't had a chance to, given that he always wore long pants.

"Those… those are steel shin guards, aren't they?" Ranma asked slowly, staring at the cobalt blue plates etched with Nordic runes that adorned his lower legs.

"Good eye, Ranma," said Shingen as he folded his pant legs back down. "And that's not all." He straightened up and shrugged his leather jacket off. It dropped to the floor and hit with an exceptionally loud thunk.

Akane stared. "What the…"

"That… was way too loud. Last thing I heard that sounded like that was Mousse's robes," Ranma said with equal surprise. "What the hell ya got in that friggin' jacket, Shingen?"

"Well, I do keep my throwing knives in there…"

"Oh, gimme a break, I saw the size of those knives and there's no way those things weigh enough to make that kinda noise."

"Not even thirty of them?" Shingen replied easily. "Of course, I have a few other things in there as well… some keys, wallet, comb, about twenty-five pounds of chain mail and semi-rigid armor plates woven into the lining, a handkerchief…"

He stopped talking and grinned as both teens in front of him face-faulted. "You see, ten pounds of extra weight is nothing," he said with a wink.

* * *

A short while later, both had recovered sufficiently to finish packing their respective backpacks and grab a quick snack before meeting the rest of the family at the front door. Genma was out cold in the living room under a blanket, but Soun was kind enough to give well-wishes for both of them, with the end result that Ranma and Akane got hugged twice as hard and drenched with twice as many tears. Akane blushed madly and quickly pried her father off the two of them, with some assistance from Nodoka. Kasumi handed them both a packet of trail snacks and gave them a warm hug and a kiss. "Just make sure you don't push yourself too hard, and do try to have some fun if you can," she told them, and both nodded in agreement.

"And I thought you were against that kind of 'fun' before they're even married," Nabiki quipped with a sly look in Kasumi's direction.

"Na-Nabiki! That isn't what I meant; I'd never suggest something so… so improper! Shame on you!" Kasumi replied, giving Nabiki the evil eye. Akane blushed again; Ranma groaned.

"Geez, you people are so easy!" Nabiki chuckled before stepping up and giving the two a hug of her own. "Seriously, though, I hope you guys have fun at wherever the hell you're going… and for Kami's sake, don't come back here looking like punching bags, you two." She gave them a quick double hug and added in a whisper, "I'll want to hear all the details when you two get back." She let them go, smiling as they each shook their heads in disbelief.

"You be careful now, son," said Nodoka as she stepped forward and gave Ranma a fierce hug, which he quickly returned. "I hope this experience goes well for you both," she added before releasing him and turning to hug Akane as well. "Take care, and watch out for each other." Neither one of them noticed it, but there was a troubled look in her eyes.

"Thanks, Mom," said Ranma. "We'll be back before you know it."

"We'll be just fine, Auntie," added Akane. "Don't worry about us."

"I don't mean to cut things short, but we do need to get moving," Shingen interjected from outside the doorway. He hefted his duffel bag over his left shoulder, next to his naginata. In his right hand, he held the package that had been delivered to the dojo earlier that day- a black plastic travel case that looked like it was designed to hold a musical instrument of some kind, possibly a keyboard. "We've got a lot of work to do."

* * *

Two minutes and a few last-second goodbyes later, the three of them were out the front gate and settling into an easy jog down the streets of Nerima. Akane was starting to sweat under the burden of her backpack and the weights on her limbs, but shrugged it off as best she could. _Should've known it wouldn't be that easy if I want to get close to Ranma's level,_ she thought quietly. _I just hope this training doesn't kill me first!_ She paused her train of thought and glanced over at her fiancé, noting he didn't seem to be having as much trouble with the weights but was still a bit slower than usual. He glanced in her direction and flashed her a quick smile.

_Of course you wouldn't be having as much a problem with it, would you, Ranma,_ she thought as a twinge of jealousy struck her. _This isn't anything new to you, is it…_ Akane blinked. Just as quickly as the jealousy hit, it had vanished and been replaced by a sudden realization of why Ranma was taking it so well. After ten years of hellish training techniques, of course he was taking it in stride; it was like he expected it. As if all his life had been nothing but combat and pain, with no time for fun. She suddenly felt a new level of respect for him, and no small amount of sympathy.

Her thoughts snapped back to the trip when Shingen suddenly picked up speed and bounded up a fence towards the rooftops. Akane gritted her teeth and sprang up after him, desperately trying to ignore being weighed down. _Don't think, just do,_ she chanted mentally as she landed clumsily on the first roof; her foot slipped and she very nearly would have fallen if Ranma hadn't shot a hand out and caught her before she completely lost her balance.

"Hey, you okay?"

She stopped for a second to get her footing and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm okay now; just give me a second."

"No time to rest, kids," Shingen hollered from the neighboring roof. "We've still got some ways to travel before the real training begins."

"Geez, you think we coulda taken the train for part of the trip…" Ranma groused as he stretched his arms up above his head.

"No point in taking the train, our destination's right on the outskirts of Nerima," the Hunter replied, pointing over the ward's skyline.

Akane looked in the direction he was pointing and blinked twice. "That's near the industrial center," she said incredulously. "Why in the world are we going down there?"

Shingen hefted the black case in his right hand and gave her a knowing nod. "You'll find out soon enough."

To Be Continued.

* * *

Author's Note 5/11/05: It's been a busy week for the Ronin but I managed to bang out what I could; hopefully it's proved both amusing and intriguing at the same time. I apologize if it seems to progress a little slowly at times, but with the amount of detail and plot points I have in mind, it's going to take time to resolve the issues at hand. I thank you for your reviews; they keep me going and help me refine some of my ideas.

Yes, I know the confrontation with Genma's demon was a little anticlimactic, but this is Genma we're talking about here. I felt the Immovable reflected not only the typical lazy panda, it suited Genma's personality as well- lazy, fat, and generally pathetic. For those who were expecting more action, future chapters should provide what you're after.

Wonderbee31: Glad you liked what I did with Ukyo and Kasumi; I know Kasumi seems oblivious at times but no one knows how much of that is an act and how much is real, after all. Though her ignorance of Tofu's feelings still amazes me… as for Ranma and Akane's training, you'll have to wait till the next chapter to see more.

dreamwalker: I only had Akane muse over calling him Ran-chan as a sort of tease; I agree, I don't see her calling him that at any point. And like I said in a previous post, Ranma calling her Acchan is something I picked up from other fanfics and liked. Glad you like my story so far.

Drkjester: Thanks for your support.

Dragon Man 180: Well, you were right re: Genma, but you'll have to wait and see what order the Amazons get cured in. Glad you liked my rendition of Konatsu, and I honestly don't see Gosunkugi as anything other than comic relief- if he does show up, that is.

SteelPhoenix3825: Glad you liked last chapter; hope this one pleases you.

Luna12: Thanks, I thought it was only natural the students react the way they did- after all, those two have fought HOW long? You're pretty much right on the money re: Akane's 'bad feeling', and while Ukyo did turn out a bit teary, that section was pretty hard for me to write in the first place. Guess I did something right somewhere.

R: That's an interesting thought- but since Happi didn't actually fall in the source spring, I would say not likely.

Taro MD: Glad you liked last installment, and as far as finance wars go, talk to Nabiki about that. In regards to _fiancée_ wars, Akane is pretty much on top. (Watch your spellchecker, old buddy. Heh.)

Lerris: Thanks.

Priestess Kohana: Thank you, and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well.

Evildweeb: Thanks, I try to churn out as fast as I can, but sometimes need more time between chapters. Writer's block can be a bitch sometimes.

The-shadow002: I figured the Kuno sibs needed to get slapped in the face with reality at least once; glad you enjoyed that. Hopefully the character progression is moving reasonably well.

I'm not sure when my next update will be; I'm busy doing some yard work and my job keeps me hopping, not to mention I've got new anime to break out of the shrinkwrap. Next chapter- our favorite duo begin training in earnest, Nodoka learns something that causes her quite a shock, and we revisit the Neko Hanten. How is Shampoo dealing with things? And what _is_ inside the black case Shingen was carrying? Stay tuned, and send me a review or two.

Until next time. -Neon Ronin


	21. Friday Night Workout

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. This is for fun and no money is being made off this fanfiction project- unfortunately. Now, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 21: Friday Night Workout

* * *

To say Akane and Ranma were surprised by their destination was something of an understatement. They'd expected something on par with their usual training trip locales- a forest grove, a remotely located dojo, maybe a plateau in the hills. Instead, after twenty minutes of high-speed roof hopping and a two-minute water break, they found themselves outside a bedraggled and abandoned warehouse that looked large enough to house a small private airplane or two. The corrugated walls of the building had seen better days; in some places the rust streaks appeared to have eaten hand-sized holes in the metal. The outer fence was padlocked and the top strung with barbed wire, and off to one side was a rusty sign identifying it as property of Ishida Enterprises.

"Wait a minute… _this_ is where we're gonna be training?" Ranma blurted out, staring at Shingen as if he had grown a second head.

"Shingen, this is private property, we can't just walk in like we own the place!" said Akane. "Besides, this place is probably full of broken junk and gods know what else; it can't be safe!"

Shingen just smiled. "Relax, both of you; I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't know what I was doing." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a key; in seconds, the padlock was open and the gate swung inward. Noting their widening eyes, he continued. "First off, Ishida Enterprises- or more appropriately, the Ishida clan- happens to have close ties to the Yamashira clan. We've helped them out many times in the past, just as they've helped us. They more than anyone else know how hard it can be to find training space. So in regards to your first point, we _can_ walk in like we own the place… we _do_ own the place."

Ranma blinked, glanced at the building, then glanced back at Shingen. "You mean… you mean the guys who own this warehouse… they're Hunters, too?"

Shingen nodded. "They're one of three other currently active clans in Japan besides my family. We try not to advertise this, of course."

"Great Kami…" Akane breathed, staring up at the building before her, figuring it would easily accommodate the entire Tendo house and dojo with a little space left over. Several blue plastic drums sat off to one side on wooden pallets, while off to the left she could make out a pile of PVC piping wrapped in a tarp. "Wait… does this mean you keep this place for training purposes, and nothing else? Good grief, even with the place deserted the lot fees must be outrageous- and what about upkeep?"

Shingen shrugged. "The Hunter network is a lot more extensive than you think, Akane… to say nothing of the business enterprises and investments that keep us funded. Of course, you'll find out more about that eventually- and I'm sure your business-minded sister would just love to hear the details," he added with a wink. "Come on, it's time we got started." He ducked through the chain link gate and waved them in; they both paused for a moment, looked at each other, shrugged and stepped into the compound. A rattle of chain and the gate was locked again.

"Still doesn't look very safe," Akane murmured, her mind still reeling over what they had heard.

"I know what ya mean, 'kane," Ranma said. "Hey Shingen, not ta give you a hard time or nothin', but is this place actually safe to be in? Or train in? We're not gonna have the roof fall on our head or something, are we?"

Shingen smirked. "You should know as well as anyone, Ranma… appearances can be deceiving." Ranma bristled; the taller man chuckled and pulled the warehouse door open.

The interior wasn't quite as full of junk as Akane had surmised. Nor was it completely Spartan, with no furnishing whatsoever. Nearly half the building was open space, with smooth wooden flooring much like the dojo. Several sparring dummies of varying sizes sat in the corner to their left, and long racks of wooden practice weapons adorned the far wall. The far half of the building was occupied with a motley assortment of equipment- a rack of hand weights, a punching bag and speed bag setup, and a bizarre series of raised platforms at the far end that Ranma quickly recognized as balance poles. There also appeared to be an enclosed section with a door at the far end of the building that gave the appearance of barracks or a bunk room, and finally an area just to their immediate right that held a long table and a series of sturdy cabinets and chests. Several large boxes rested on the table; from Akane's angle they looked to have the logo of a local sporting goods store on them.

Akane took a few hesitant steps into the building, then froze as a shiver shot up her spine. For a brief moment, a slow, even pulse echoed in her ears, and on either side of her peripheral vision the walls and floor seemed to throb with energy- faint, but unmistakably there. She glanced down at the wooden flooring directly in front of her and could barely make out a series of discolorations in the wood. They were too evenly spaced to be knotholes, too wide or in some cases too narrow. Her eyes raced along the discolorations and she gasped as she realized it was a gigantic warding circle directly under their feet.

"Ranma…" she breathed. "This place… it feels like…" She glanced in his direction and noticed he was sporting a similar expression on his face.

"Yeah, I felt it too, just a second ago," he said in a low tone. "The place must be warded from top to bottom; I can almost see the flow of ki traveling along the walls." Akane blinked and turned to stare at the wall to her left, suddenly noticing the subtle pulses of white energy that flared up now and again in set patterns. Her eyes widened and she stifled a gasp. _I've never seen anything as complex as this in my life…_

"We have several training grounds such as this in Tokyo and other cities," Shingen was saying as he set the long black case on the table near the door. "The wards shield us from outside interference and subtly dissuade trespassers… as well as provide inner shielding for some of our more intense exercises."

"Really…" Ranma glanced around the warehouse again. "Surprised ya didn't just camp out here when you came to town. I mean, if ya had the place to begin with…"

"No dice there, Ranma; we have strict rules, this place is for training and high ritual work only. I couldn't have even come here before I cleared it with my father and let him know I'd be working on your abilities.," Shingen replied. He stretched his neck out a bit and cracked his knuckles. "Go put your things in the bunk room, then get changed into training clothes and meet me back out here." The duo paused for a moment, then shrugged and headed towards the walled-off section of the warehouse while Shingen began opening several of the boxes on the table.

The bunk room, as it turned out, wasn't exactly a four-star accommodation, clearly designed to be utilitarian. Several low steel-framed beds were pushed against one wall, prompting the two teens to glance at each other and nod in agreement. _Yep, this definitely feels like army barracks._ One or two rolling hospital screens sat idly in one corner near a door that apparently led to a Western-style bathroom, while the far end of the bunk room held a stove, sink and other basic kitchen appliances. The walls were off-white, and what light there was came from flickering fluorescent bulbs above them.

Akane sighed. "Well, it's not like we were expecting much anyways, right?"

"You kidding?" Ranma replied, taking in every inch of the room. "Compared to some of the dumps Pop an' me stayed in, this is luxury; hell, we won't even have to use our bedrolls in here."

Akane blinked and nodded, mentally slapping herself for forgetting some of their previous trips. _You're right, this is ages better than camping out in the open- especially if we have running water._ She shrugged her backpack off and set it on the middle bed. "Bet your dad would accuse you of going soft if he saw us now," she said with a smirk.

"Boy, don't I know it," said Ranma as he tossed his own backpack onto the bed to the right of hers. He opened the clasps and pulled out his gi, but then stopped where he was and frowned, an unreadable mix of emotions crossing his face. "Uh…"

Akane looked up as she retrieved her own gi, blinking as she saw a flush grow on his cheeks. "Ranma? Are you okay?"

"Uh… yeah, I just thought o' something…" He crossed to one corner and grabbed one of the white rolling screens, pulling it between his bed and Akane's. From behind the screen, Akane heard him let out a sigh. "There, that oughta do it."

Akane stared. "Do what? What're you trying to do, claim part of the room as yours or something?"

"No, that's not what I meant, 'kane, I just thought it might work out a bit better if I put that there!" The sound of him removing his shirt and putting on his gi caught her ears.

"What might work out better?" Akane was starting to bristle.

"This room doesn't have much in the way o' privacy, in case you hadn't noticed…"

"Of course I noticed, but since when have you cared about being modest? What, now that we're not at home you're suddenly developing a sense of self-consciousness or something?" The irritation in her voice began to give way to confusion; she could almost feel a sense of nervousness- or was it fear?- emanating from the other side of the screen. "What's the deal, Ranma, is the 'man among men' now too scared to change his shirt in front of…"

"Dammit, I put that screen there so ya wouldn't think I'd try peekin' at you while you're changing! Okay? That's all! I just… just…" There was a pause, then another long sigh. Akane's eyes widened; she'd been so focused on the training ahead of them, she hadn't even thought about the consequences of changing in the same room.

"I just wanted to make sure you felt comfortable in here, Acchan. I know ya don't like it when I get an eyeful, even when it's an accident, which is most of the time anyway. It's not much, but at least it's something… didn't wanna risk makin' you mad before we start training…"

Akane bit her lip. The fear she'd felt from his side of the screen was starting to make sense. _Oh gods… you're still afraid I'll hit you if you happen to catch sight of me- even if it's just a glimpse? No wonder you flinched the way you did when that imp pulled my pants down in the dojo two days ago… you think I might still lose my temper, like I used to before that last trip to China…_ She was well into her train of thought by the time she noticed she was 'sending' her thoughts in his direction, but by that time she didn't care.

_Huh?_ Ranma's head perked up as her words echoed inside his mind, with the exact same inflection and timbre he'd heard the day his curse was purged and he'd heard her screaming in desperation. _Akane, was that you just now?_ he thought, wondering if she could hear him in return.

"Yes… yes, it was me just now," she said in a soft voice from the other side of the screen. "I didn't realize you still felt that way about… you know… looking at me…" She pulled her polo shirt and shorts off and began donning her yellow gi.

"Look, um… it's not that I… um… don't like lookin' at you or nothing…" Ranma stammered as he tied his belt around his waist. "It's just that… I'd rather ya have whatever privacy you want than… than have you think I'm a pervert or something like that."

"Stop it, please," Akane admonished gently. "I already told you once before, I know you aren't really a pervert… and I appreciate the thought, but please, don't think you have to keep flinching if you happen to… well… see something by accident." She paused. _Might as well prove it to him,_ she thought as she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and nudged the privacy screen hard enough that it fell over. It clattered onto Ranma's bed, causing him to jump… and promptly stare. Akane had her yellow gi on but was still in the process of closing the front, allowing him a good look at a white sports bra that didn't leave very much to the imagination. Ranma froze as she blushed slightly, then finished closing her gi.

"Wha… I don't… you just… oh geez, I'm sor…"

"Ranma, stop," she said, cutting him off with a shy smile. "It's not like we haven't seen each other already… besides, we _are_ engaged… and even though I do like some privacy, it's not… not that big a deal…" She started fumbling and pressing her fingers together. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I d-don't really mind it so m-much as I used to… and I promise, I'm not going to hit you anymore over something like that."

The two of them looked at each other in silence for a moment longer, unspoken words passing between them. Akane's face was flushed and somewhat scared, Ranma's was tense and slightly confused. Gradually, though, the lines of his jaw softened and the confusion disappeared. Akane noted this and visibly relaxed, smiling back at him just as he smiled at her. They might have fallen into each other's arms at that moment were it not for the sudden rapping of knuckles on the door.

"Have you two changed yet? We've got an exercise to run through." The two blinked, then chuckled and gave each other a brief but firm hug. "Yeah, we're on our way out," Akane hollered back.

Thirty seconds later they were on the open hardwood floor, loosening up and testing their weighted-down arms and legs. "Okay, so what are we gonna do now?" Ranma asked. "Calisthenics? Freestyle sparring?" He paused and blinked, noticing the near walls were now covered with hastily-placed dropcloths and tarps, as well as parts of the floor.

"Nope. This is where we gauge and improve your speed and reaction time," Shingen replied. Several sporting goods boxes lay on the floor near the long table, packing material all over the place. "And for this exercise, you're going to be wearing some more gear." He bent down and picked up the items laying by his feet- two full-face gray motorcycle helmets, which he tossed easily into their hands. "Put those on."

Akane stared at the visored thing in her hands. "What the… what are we supposed to wear these for?"

"It's for your own protection. You'll find out once the exercise begins, Akane. Put the helmet on." Akane blinked, then slid it over her head and adjusted the chin strap. Ranma did the same.

"Smells kinda funny in this thing," Ranma quipped, folding his arms. "So what do we do now?"

"The object of this training exercise is simple," Shingen replied with a smirk, crossing to the table and picking up something that Ranma couldn't see at first. "Don't get hit."

"Don't get hit? What do you…" Akane started, but stopped as soon as she noticed what he had picked up, one in each hand- a pair of wicked looking metallic green paintball guns, each with a full hopper and CO2 canisters in place. Akane audibly gulped as she saw his thumb flick the safety catches off before he swung both devices into firing position; almost on instinct, she dropped into a low crouch, legs coiled to spring at any moment. She could barely see Ranma out of the corner of her helmet's visor, but somehow could sense he was doing likewise.

"No special tricks or ki techniques, either of you," Shingen said calmly. "And as I said… don't get hit." And he squeezed both triggers.

* * *

"It's awfully nice of you to join us for dinner, Dr. Tofu," Kasumi said sweetly as she placed several dishes on the dining table. The doctor merely smiled and nodded, scratching a spot on the back of his neck and pressing the tsubo point Cologne had showed him. Soun sat next to him, with Nabiki and Nodoka on the other side of the table.

"Well, young Mr. Yamashira did say it would be a good idea to keep an eye on Saotome-san for the night; I hope I'm not imposing," Dr. Tofu said nervously. Silently he thanked the Amazon elder for giving him a means to overcome his nervousness around Kasumi- a nervousness he had been ashamed to learn he was afflicted with months before. _I'd heard so many tales of Love Hysteria before, but I kept telling myself it couldn't happen to me… talk about being a fool…_

"Oh, it's no imposition at all; you're practically family here, son!" Soun said, giving Tofu a hearty slap on the back. He winced slightly at the slap, but smiled.

"Yeah, with all the times you put Ranma and my kid sister back together, this is almost your second home, doc," Nabiki added, resting her chin on her palm.

"Well, I'm not sure I'd go that far…" Tofu swallowed and glanced across the room at Genma's prone form; the shock seemed to have worn off on his face and the elder Saotome now appeared to be sleeping peacefully. "He seems to be faring well; with a bit of rest he should be back on his feet before long."

"I would certainly hope so," said Nodoka calmly. "Perhaps once he does he could tell me just what happened to him over the last ten years," she added in a lower tone.

"I beg your pardon, Auntie Saotome?" Kasumi asked as she placed the last of dinner on the table.

"Oh… I'm sorry, I was just thinking out loud," Nodoka replied before looking down at her dinner setting. "It's not that important, really…"

"Still have some catching up to do, Auntie?" Nabiki asked.

"Maybe… I just… I'm not really sure right now."

"If it's anything to do with his reaction to that ritual, I was just as surprised as you, Nodoka," Soun mused as he took a bite of boiled potato. "I've seen him stand up to multitudes of foes before and barely bat an eye; indeed, he did just that months ago, on an ill-fated ocean voyage," he continued, remembering the ordeals at Toma's island. "But in all honesty, if I were in his shoes, I might have reacted much the same way; even the strongest man does have one thing that can reduce him to tears or howls of anguish."

Nabiki coughed, fighting hard to not say something along the lines of certain men being reduced to tears at the drop of a hat. Thankfully, she succeeded and swallowed her mouthful of food without choking.

Nodoka sighed. "I know, Soun. I know that nobody is invincible, but I've never seen Genma cry out or thrash about the way he did, not once. Yes, I'm well aware that ritual must be brutal, but you're forgetting that I saw someone else go through it before… and he, my son, held back his pain fifty times better than his father did. He didn't budge more than an inch; it was all Tofu-sensei and I could do to keep Genma in place, and I'm not even sure we succeeded there." She shook her head and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. _It's as if all that was strong and manly when he left me had grown weak… indeed, when he did return, he hid himself and Ranma from me for so long out of fear of that damnable contract. Kami help me, I do care deeply for the man… but is he even the same man I married?_

_And there's more, too… I'm the first one to condemn eavesdropping, but I can't help but wonder about something Ranma was saying before they left. It sounded like Shingen was warning him about rough training when I was passing their room, and he was accepting the idea with little hesitation. Then he said something… something about surviving the 'Neko-ken'? Dearest never mentioned anything about a Neko-ken before, and certainly not when we finally reunited… _

"So what exactly was it Shingen warned you about again, Doc?" Nabiki's voice brought Nodoka back out of her reverie; she blinked a few times and looked up.

"I think he mentioned something about not spilling cold water on Saotome-san, just in case," Tofu replied after taking a sip of tea. "He said he'd only had a chance to glance at his aura, but he was worried about the way Saotome had flopped around on the casting circle."

"Oh, that's right… I remember Shingen-kun mentioning something about that before he put Ranma through the Purge," Kasumi piped up. "That if the person being treated left the casting circle, it could prove dangerous?"

"Or unpredictable," Nabiki added. "He said if something screwed up in the midst of the ritual, the patient could get battered senseless, or scarred, or cursed for life… maybe even killed…" She shrugged and took another bite of her food. "But hey, Saotome's still breathing, and Shingen did say he looked stable, so what's the problem?"

"That may be so, but still…" Dr. Tofu trailed off before looking at Genma again- who was beginning to snore. "It might be best if we heed the young man's warning until he gets back. Just to be safe."

"Did he say when he'd be back?" Soun asked, a slight worried look on his face.

"He, Akane and my son should be back by Sunday evening, if I remember correctly," Nodoka replied.

"That isn't much time for a training trip," Tofu mused. "You said it was something of a… what was it again? Crash course?"

"That's what they alluded to before they left," Nabiki drawled. "Personally, I'll bet it's just them getting out for some highly needed R&R. They're probably having the time of their lives right now."

* * *

Akane whipped her hand up and brushed several sweat-soaked strands of hair out of her eyes, wincing in the process. _This is definitely not what I'm used to,_ she thought before snapping her hands back into position and continuing her exercise. _I'm gonna be sore as hell in the morning- but it's definitely going to be worth it!_

It had been two hours since their training had officially begun, but it felt far longer. Their first unorthodox exercise had certainly got their adrenaline pumping, what with Shingen advancing on them and unleashing a veritable hailstorm of paintballs. _Felt like we were in the middle of a John Woo movie,_ Akane mused; she and Ranma had tumbled, flipped and spun like mad dervishes, only to be countered at every step by Shingen's two-fisted assault. Some of the wall tarps had been literally coated with purple and green paint, and for all her dodging and leaping around, she'd still gotten her shins, one shoulder, both forearms and a spot on her helmet tagged with purple and green dots. Ranma had fared better, as she'd begrudgingly expected, but had still gotten tagged with green paint twice on his back and purple three times on his forearms. The barrage had only lasted five minutes, but had felt like an eternity to her. The paint had left welts and Akane's limbs ached from the weights on her ankles and wrists, which somehow felt heavier than they had before, but Akane couldn't erase the smile from her face. _I never could have done all this a month ago… let alone a year ago. But… how much longer am I supposed to be doing this? I'm getting kinda tired…_

She snapped her left leg out in a high roundhouse, smacking a target pad on a large wooden training post in front of her, following with a series of rapid punches and a reverse roundhouse with the same leg. The post was similar to the smaller rope-wrapped post Ranma trained with so often, but was set on a pivot pole and contained several concealed spring-loaded 'arms' in addition to the target pads. The harder and faster Akane punched and kicked, the more the post rotated and 'retaliated' by randomly shooting out a rod that would smack or trip her up if she wasn't careful. In fact, she'd sustained a fair number of bruises in the time she'd been attacking the dummy, but was getting struck far less often as time passed.

"Just a few minutes longer, Akane; you're doing just fine!" Shingen hollered from the sparring area.

"Come on… I've been… at this for… twenty minutes solid," she gasped in response, her speed beginning to waver. "Can't we just… take a break already?"

"Just a little longer, 'kane; you can do it!" said Ranma before returning to his own exercise. He and Shingen were squared off against each other in the sparring area, each one wielding kendo shinai… only Shingen held one in each hand as opposed to Ranma's single weapon. The two clashed and sprang apart repeatedly, each one trying to gain the upper hand and knock his opponent out or disarm him. They had been going at it for a considerable period of time, practically since Akane had begun working on the wooden post. Ranma was faring better against the weights he wore, but facing off against two shinai was forcing him to move faster as well- not to mention the fact that Shingen had removed his weighted jacket prior to the match. Even so, the two appeared evenly matched as sword cracked against sword or random body part. There were no kendo forms or patterns at work, it was straight out improvisation and brawling at its finest.

"You're better at this than I thought you'd be, Ranma," Shingen said as he ducked in and struck three times, only to be blocked each time by Ranma's shinai.

"Eh, this ain't really my style," Ranma shot back, fighting off fatigue and countering with five lightning-fast strikes to Shingen's head and torso, all of which were blocked. "I know a bit 'bout certain weapon styles, but unarmed's always been my best bet," he added with a low swipe that Shingen barely managed to leap over. He countered with a strike to the head and the ribs- and smirked when Ranma somehow managed to block both strikes at the same time, rolled to the left and came up swinging.

After another minute of both their exercises, Shingen abruptly threw down his two shinai and called for a dinner break, which both Ranma and Akane were happy to agree to. After two straight hours of first getting shot with paintball guns, then some of the most intense stretches Akane had ever endured, some heavy calisthenics followed by freestyle sparring, another round with the paintball guns(this time Akane only got hit twice and Ranma didn't get hit at all), two coordination and balance katas, and finally the sparring post and shinai exercises(Ranma had practiced with the post first while Akane fought Shingen with the shinai, after which they had switched places), both of them were sore, tired, and very, very hungry.

Akane stepped away from the training post and slumped to her knees, letting out a long sigh. "I think… this qualifies… as the most intense two hours I've ever spent," she breathed, stretching her arms out.

"Not quite what yer used to, huh?" Ranma asked as he crossed the room and sat down next to her. "You feel okay? I saw you when you were fightin' him with the shinai, you got whacked pretty hard a few times."

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Akane replied through clenched teeth, pressing a spot on her ribs. "Though I bet I'll look terrible in the morning."

"As opposed to looking the way you do now?"

She gave him a light swat, prompting a laugh out of both of them.

"Yeah, I know I look like a fright right now, Ranma," she said with a groan. "But you don't look so great yourself, you know. You need a bath."

"So do you." Akane nodded wearily in agreement, then flinched as she prodded a few more sore spots and stretched out her stiffening arms.

"Ow… talk about your cramps…" She tensed up, fire shooting across her back.

"That bad, huh?" Ranma asked. She nodded, yet continued to try and stretch out some more. Ranma frowned and shifted himself so that he was sitting cross-legged behind her, then reached out and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Huh? What are you…" Akane began before drawing in a quick breath, then a long sigh of relief as Ranma began gently massaging her back and shoulders. He'd only ever done it a few times before, midway through the week once they'd begun sparring together, and Akane was still getting used to it. It was unfamiliar to her after all the times she'd pushed him away, but after the first massage she found herself looking forward to it. His hands deftly moved over her back muscles, melting away tension with varying levels of pressure. The cramp in her lower back vanished rapidly, and a warming sensation washed over her from head to toe. She closed her eyes and reveled in the sensations he was giving her.

"Mmm… that feels a lot better… thank you, Ranma," she said softly.

"No problem; after a workout like this one I figured you'd need it," he said with a smile. She leaned back into him, allowing him to brush his hands along her upper arms and parts of her neck. He gladly obliged, with firm yet tender strokes that allowed her to ignore the welts and bruises and pushed her heart rate up a few notches. She pondered pulling her gi top off so that he could massage her shoulders directly, when suddenly the massage stopped and the warming sensations faded.

"Ranma? What's wrong?" There was a long pause. Then his hands on her back once more, moving lower. The warmth began to return, wrapping around her body like a hot bath. "Ranma, why did you stop just then?"

"I… I just noticed something," he murmured in an awed voice. "Look at my hands."

She opened her eyes just as he brought his arms around her, resting his palms on her forearms. The warmth permeated her skin, and Akane gasped as she saw a yellowish-gold aura surrounding his hands. It was faint and barely more than a few millimeters thick, but it was there. He ran his palms up and down her forearms, and right before her eyes, the bruises she'd received from the paintball guns faded and vanished. Blinking, she prodded her arms and realized the pain had gone too.

"Ranma…" she breathed. "Did… did you just do what I think you did?"

"If what you think I did is the same thing I think I just did, then yes, I did." He flexed his hands and the aura intensified slightly. "I think… I was trying to read your feelings, see if I could find some way to dull some o' those bruises… and then I kinda felt my aura start to reach out to you."

Akane nodded, hesitantly, remembering the last time the warming sensation had washed over her. "The same thing happened the day after that fight with your curse demon," she said. "When I brought you out of your nightmare and we… you know…" She blushed, remembering the kiss they had shared, and how her bruises from the night before had vanished. "And it was just the same after you and Shingen fought on Monday, and he healed you."

_There was one other time I can remember… but that was I time I'd rather we need not remember,_ she thought silently. _Phoenix Mountain… just before I woke up in your arms…_

Ranma nodded to himself, retracing what he'd done in his mind. "So that's how that Naosu Kousen thingy works. Positive energy from one person's aura, transferring to someone else's aura and boosting their healing process… that's simpler than I thought it'd be."

"You catch on pretty quick," came Shingen's voice from the general direction of the bunk room. "Come on, both of you; I've got dinner on the stove, so you each have time to get cleaned up." He turned and stepped back into the bunk room. Ranma and Akane looked at each other a moment longer before getting to their feet and following Shingen hand in hand. A slow smile spread across Akane's face as she realized she wasn't sore at all anymore.

_That was absolutely amazing… I have got to learn that so I can return the favor,_ she thought to herself with a grin.

* * *

"Order up on table three, two beef ramen and one seafood special." Three bowls slid onto the Neko Hanten's counter, and just as quickly were scooped up and carried off by Mousse. It was busy that night, with almost every table filled, pushing the nearsighted waiter's skills to their limit. Fortunately, months of practice had allowed him to memorize table placement, thus enabling him to reach his destination with little or no problem.

"Enjoy your meal sirs, madam," he said, bowing politely as he set the bowls before the diners. He turned and darted over to another table to take the orders of some new arrivals; meanwhile the diners at table three traded their bowls. Apparently he still had a problem with which customer ordered which bowl.

Cologne sighed, exasperated. _That boy may be fast, but if he keeps giving people the wrong dish our reputation will plummet,_ she groused to herself. _Why isn't Shampoo keeping up the pace?_ She cast a steely eye over the restaurant, finally coming to rest on a certain purple-haired waitress. "Great-granddaughter! I'd like to see you for a moment!"

Shampoo looked up from the table she'd just served and heaved a sigh. "Yes, great-grandmother, I be with you in a moment," she said in a dull voice. It matched the rest of her appearance perfectly- dull, drab and overall lifeless. Her hair was flying away in places, giving the impression it hadn't been combed very well, if at all. Her uniform apron was tied clumsily in one place, and her shoulders were slumped forward- nowhere near the bubbly, vibrant girl most male customers expected to see. Grumbling, she shoved her bill pad into her apron and slouched off to the kitchen, rubbing a hand against her right temple.

"Child, what is going on? We've got one of the busiest nights of the week to deal with, and you're moving slower than ever before!" Cologne said in a reprimanding tone. "You know full well that Mousse can't wait on the entire room at once; what in the world is wrong with you?"

Shampoo said nothing at first, but looked away and leaned against the doorframe. Cologne narrowed her eyes, wondering how she could be so insolent as to not answer… then noticed she wasn't leaning by the door out of arrogance, but more like she might fall over otherwise. Shampoo's eyes were bloodshot, as well- something Cologne only noticed when she looked back up.

"I sorry, great-grandmother. Shampoo try to work harder from now on."

Cologne's expression softened. "Child, what is it? I can tell, something's amiss and it's obviously affecting you physically; have you come down with something? A cold, maybe?"

Shampoo shook her head. "It nothing. Shampoo not sick, always have tribal cold remedies for that."

"Then what is it?" Another pause, followed by Shampoo averting her eyes again.

"Just tired, great-grandmother. Is nothing to worry about."

Cologne frowned. "Is it about you and Ranma?"

Shampoo shook her head violently. "No! Is nothing to do with Ranma! Shampoo not pining over stupid pigtail boy; he make choice long ago and Shampoo no listen, is all! Shampoo know he always go to Akane, just not understand why before now… besides, Kisses of Death and Marriage now gone because of Right of Refusal, why bother wasting time over stupid boy?"

Cologne couldn't help but notice an errant tear slip down the side of Shampoo's face, nor could she ignore the tremble in the girl's voice. _You poor girl,_ she thought to herself as she shifted her perception to examine her aura. _You pursued him for so long, and so blindly, it's only natural some feelings might linger on long after the issue was put to rest. It might be a long time before you forget him completely, but in the end you will be a better person from this experience. He may never be one of the tribe now, but I doubt he ever would have been… and this way, we may still be able to retain him as a powerful ally._ Her thoughts trailed off as she got a closer look at Shampoo's aura.

_My word… your energies are going up and down like ocean waves, no wonder you look the way you do._ Cologne shook her head slightly and sighed. "Child, whatever it is that's troubling you, it's obvious to me that you won't do yourself any good running around here tonight. Why don't you go upstairs and have a rest."

"But great-grandmother, if tonight so busy then…"

"Then we shall just make do," the Elder replied firmly. "I don't want you pushing yourself tonight, not in the condition you're in right now. Mousse and I will handle things down here, you go up and rest. That's an order."

"But…" Shampoo began, then stopped at the look in Cologne's eyes and sighed in resignation. "Okay… if you say go rest, then I go rest…" She turned and headed slowly for the stairs to her room.

Cologne nodded to herself, then turned towards the doorway slightly. "I know we're busy right now, but when we close up down here… look in on her for me, will you?"

Mousse's head poked around the doorframe. "Of course I will, but why not check on her yourself?"

"Because I know you're probably concerned about her, too, otherwise you wouldn't have been lurking near the door all this time," Cologne replied with a chuckle. "Besides, she could use some company later on… and not a crotchety old woman like me, either. Someone her own age… but whatever you do, don't go overboard, boy. Just be there for her."

Mousse stared for a moment, then nodded slowly before turning his attention back to the restaurant. Cologne returned to the stove and began cooking anew.

_He may make a decent match for her yet, if he manages to settle down,_ she thought. _Still… I'm a bit worried about her, especially with the way her ki was behaving. Perhaps I should contact that Yamashira boy… then again, perhaps I'd be best served to look at her myself in the morning first._

_

* * *

_

"Now why in the world does that stubborn husband of mine still keep his things like that?" Nodoka stopped straightening the double futon she and Genma used and crossed the room, coming to a halt in front of his bedraggled and much-abused backpack. "Honestly, he and my son have been living here for over a year, one might think he'd at least put his clothes away."

She let her eyes wander over the room, noting it hardly looked lived in at all. With the exception of the futons and a dresser, there was practically nothing in the room to make it inviting. Very little in the way of decoration, something Nodoka vowed to correct at some point in the near future. "A few calligraphy prints might help," she mused as she carried the backpack over to the dresser. "He might object, of course, but maybe a small plant on the dresser as well… even a martial artist can't live like an ascetic his whole life." She undid the clasp on the backpack. "I do hope he won't mind me putting his things away for him… come to think of it, I'm surprised he hasn't asked me to do so already."

_It really doesn't make sense to have things packed up like this, ready to leave at a moment's notice,_ she thought as she turned the backpack over. _Soun would never ask him to leave… but then again, with all the training excursions he's taken Ranma on, I suppose that…_ Her thought train halted suddenly as something fell out of the backpack, half-buried beneath several white gis and various items of clothing. Nodoka blinked, then brushed an errant sleeve out of the way to reveal a smallish book of sorts. It was slightly battered, but the thing that struck her most about the book was the kanji title. She didn't pay much attention to most of the characters, just two in particular that caught her eye immediately.

**Neko-ken**.

Memories of what she had heard earlier in the day flashed through her mind, and she found herself in a sudden quandary. On the one hand, this was part of Genma's personal belongings and thus his own business, and besides, snooping was high on her list of dishonorable acts. On the other hand, several other members of the household had already snooped here and there… by accident, she reminded herself… and she herself was guilty just from overhearing Ranma. Besides, Genma would likely have asked her to put this away at the same time she put his clothes away… wouldn't he?

A sudden thought struck her, and memories of some of Genma's less than honorable actions began to replay themselves in her mind- not merely hiding Ranma's curse, but also the broken deal with Kuonji and several other 'fiancées' that Ranma had been saddled with. A wave of concern hit her and promptly pushed her hesitancy out the window. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the book.

Several minutes later she had dropped the book, her hands trembling and her face ashen.

* * *

"Ranma, I'm going to fall if you keep making faces at me."

"C'mon, 'kane, I'm just tryin' to have a little fun here, an' you should, too."

"You baka," Akane chuckled, "I can't concentrate; I'll lose my balance if you make me laugh any harder!"

"Hey, remember what I said? Don't think, just do! You balanced perfectly well on the fence rail, so this can't be that much harder!"

Shingen smirked from his position on the other side of the warehouse. He had laid out several rolls of parchment and a pot of ink on the long table near the door, and was deftly scribing a new Purge ward. Dinner had been a short affair, little more than instant ramen in Styrofoam cups; much to Akane's chagrin, most of the food in the bunk room was pre-made, heat and serve foods. "No time for home-cooked meals when we're training like this," Shingen had said. Ranma, mercifully, had refrained from commenting on Akane's lack of skill in the kitchen, thus dinner had gone without much fuss.

The balance poles the two were currently practicing on seemed almost too easy for Ranma's taste- they were set at varying heights at the far end of the warehouse, made of PVC piping with removable one-foot-square platforms set on top. This alone made it a cake walk for Ranma- not so for Akane, who was struggling with the way the poles flexed and swayed.

"C'mon, it's not that big a deal, just a hop, skip and a jump and you'll be all the way across!" Ranma said in a coaxing tone.

"More like a hop, slip and a crash if you ask me," Akane replied, looking down at the floor. Padded as it was with gym mats, it still looked imposing.

"Stop looking at it so negatively, tomboy! You can do it! Just believe in yourself, stop thinking about it an' just DO it!" Ranma shouted.

"I can't…"

"Okay then, I guess we might as well go home if you're gonna be a quitter," said Ranma in a bored tone.

"WHAT? I'm not a quitter! I'm in this for the long run, just like you!"

"Yeah, but you're not even trying to get over here… an' I was planning to give you a reward if you made it this far." Akane blinked, then smiled as she felt Ranma open an Astral Link. _Make it all the way over to me and I'll give you the best kiss of your life…_ A sudden warmth spread through her body and all at once she found herself bounding over the tops of the poles, barely causing them to sway even once before one final leap that brought her easily onto the pole directly next to Ranma. She turned to him and instantly caught the smile on his face; it matched the one she was sporting.

"You see? I knew ya could do it," he said with a laugh; she responded by throwing her arms around his neck and pulling closer to him with a giggle.

"I guess I just needed the right motivation," she whispered in his ear.

"Oh, yes," he replied, a mischievous grin on his face. "About that reward…" He reached over and grabbed her waist, lifting her off the balance pole and pulling her close to him. She squeaked in surprise and pleasure, then sighed contentedly as they pressed their lips together in a deep, passionate kiss.

Shingen smirked. _Talk about your couples,_ he thought to himself. _Seems like the harder they train, the closer they get… and from what I've seen in their auras, they could prove to be two of the greatest Hunters I've ever seen._ He shook his head and added a few more lines to the parchment before him. _Besides myself, that is._

_Their progress is faster than I thought it would be, certainly. It's strange, though… it feels like Ranma's holding back. I felt it when he and I fought with the shinai; he was showing definite restraint when he was attacking. Like… like he was forcing his ki to remain dormant; if he'd fought at full power, he could have used the Sekkai Katto Sutoraiki and broken both my swords at once. And I haven't even demonstrated how to do that move yet…_

Shingen frowned. _Something must have happened… something that's making him hold back the way he does. The more I see him in action, the more I see it in his aura… if he'd fought me with everything he's got when he and I first met, I could very well have fallen instead of him… but he held back, and I drew his blood because of it._

The calligraphy brush continued to move over the ward.

_Perhaps the thing that holds him back is tied to the scar in Akane's aura,_ Shingen mused at length. _Something happened to both of them, I'm sure of it now. He did say he'd fought Saffron, the Phoenix God. That could very well be it. It must have been a battle that involved both of them- he did say it was the only way to save her. To make sure she didn't die._

_Well, my friend, that aura scar proves you're luckier than you thought you ever were… by all rights, Akane should be dead. I've never seen a scar of unlife like hers before… not in a living person, anyway. She pulled back from the brink of death just in time. Any longer…_

Shingen froze. His eyes widened and slowly tracked to the unopened 4-foot long black case that rested on the table.

_One will overcome the icy grip of death… one will challenge the gods himself… it couldn't be?_

He set the brush down abruptly and stood up, reaching across and pulling the case closer to him. He flipped two latches on either end open, then snapped open the middle latch easily. Gingerly he rested his hands on either side of the case, then slowly opened the lid. A long breath escaped his lips as a gentle golden glow emanated from within.

The light centered around two objects within the case, nestled in foam rubber- two sheathed wakizashi, placed parallel and in opposing directions to one another. One had a mottled black and red saya and similar colored cords on the hilt, with a gold pommel and tsuba bearing the motif of a charging stallion. The other had deep blue hilt cords and a blue saya, with a silver pommel and tsuba carved in a tiger motif. Intricate gold or silver runes danced along the length of each sword's sheath.

Shingen gazed at the two swords in wonder. "So this is what Father meant," he breathed.

"Great Kami… so that's where their blood comes from…"

To Be Continued.

* * *

Author's Note 5/25/05: I wanted to post this chapter sooner, but had to deal with a few snafus at work, not to mention other real-world dilemmas that kept pushing me back. As it is, I had a lot of detail I wanted to put in this chapter, hence the delay. I would like to mention first and foremost, the next chapter may take longer than usual- not only do I need time to recuperate from the past week, I'll be heading out to Project A-Kon in Dallas next weekend- something I've been planning for a while. I'm already brewing chapter 22 in my mind, so hopefully the delay won't be too long- I just need a battery recharge and my upcoming trip should do it.

Second, regarding the two swords in the case- some of you may say, 'why not two katanas? Why wakizashi?' Rest assured, there is a reason behind it, which will be revealed in time. As for their purpose… you'll have to wait and see.

Borg rabbit: Yes, it's possible Shampoo's demon could be a bit of an ordeal. As for Genma retaining the curse… hmm… I'll tell you later.

Dragon man 180: Glad you liked the demon and Genma's screaming; yes, I suppose the mallet might have been amusing, if not very effective on the panda's blubber. Hope the glimpse of the training proved enjoyable.

Wonderbee31: Yes, Nodoka probably wasn't thinking right when she signed that contract, but then maybe Genma managed to pull the wool over her eyes as well… and I agree, Ranma did most of the work himself. More stuff is bound to happen over the training weekend; as for the Big Boss… it's too soon to say.

Priestess Kohana: Thank you very much for the compliment; I took a look at your story 'Paralyzed' and I don't think your ideas are lame. It's an intriguing idea, all it needs is a little practice. Keep on writing; the more you write, the better you get.

Dragon-game: Thank you.

The-shadow002: I figured it was high time Nabiki did some innuendo slinging; glad to see you enjoyed it. I was hoping my character pacing was going properly; thanks for the vote of confidence.

TaroMD: Yep, Genma is pretty pathetic, something Nodoka is just now beginning to realize… and now that she found the book, he might be in for more than he bargained for. Divorce? Seppuku? Or something else? I'm not telling… and as for what Taro might have to do with all this, it's too soon to say.

Misakichi1: Glad you're enjoying it, hope the update was soon enough for you.

Sisana: Thank you for the compliment; I figured Ranma wouldn't call her Acchan every two seconds, it'd be something he might save for private moments between them.

Luna12: Glad you liked the interplay between them; I figured it was time for some good ol' laughs to break things up a bit. The Astral Link was something I'd been tossing around for a while, especially with the final scene on Phoenix Mountain… he may not have vocally said it, but she did hear it. As for the wrist and ankle weights, yes, people can lug around book bags heavier than that, but try lugging it for several days straight and see how well you fare. Also, while they were relatively light at first, note that they appeared to feel heavier as time went by… another training tool of the Hunters, perhaps?

Thanks for stopping by and reading. As I said, I'll be in Dallas late next week, so don't expect an update too soon… but I promise it won't take too long, either. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	22. Truths and Dreams

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I apologize for the delay between postings, but I've been out of town and needed to get my mental strength back. And now, back to our story. Be aware, there will be a moderate portion of WAFF in this chapter.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 22: Truths and Dreams

* * *

A bead of sweat ran down Ranma's temple. His eyes were shut and his face for the most part relaxed, with the exception of his furrowed brow. He couldn't see her, of course, but it felt to him like Akane was in much the same condition. His eyes scrunched tighter in concentration mixed with irritation. _This ain't fair, man. Ya couldn't have picked somethin' different for this exercise?_

_We're almost done, Ranma,_ Shingen replied. _I know it's painful, but I need to understand the situation more. And you both need the experience if you want full control over the Link._

The three of them sat in the center of the training floor, in the inner circle of the ward pattern. They sat with their calves tucked beneath them, their hands resting on their knees. All had their eyes closed. Shingen took a slow, measured breath, his face a mask of serenity. Ranma took one as well, which did little to relieve the furrows in his brow. Akane did likewise, though her breathing shook slightly on the exhale. The air between them was crisscrossed with barely perceptible lines of ki which ebbed and flowed every second, growing stronger one moment, weak the next.

Slowly, the flow of energy began to rise, rippling through the air from Akane to Ranma, then from him back to her again, and finally resonating with Shingen's aura. The air shivered, gradually filling with a high-pitched sound akin to a tuning fork. It grew, louder and louder, and both Ranma and Akane began to wince. The aura surrounding the three grew from blue to pale yellow, then a sort of sunset yellow, until all three were bathed in a warm golden mass of light.

All at once, the light stopped. Shingen's eyes opened and the two teens before him let out relieved sighs. Ranma shook his head, almost hoping the action would wipe away the images they had just spent long minutes recalling.

"I know it's late, you two," Shingen said at length, "but before we turned in for the night this had to be done."

"Yeah, yeah, you wanted ta test how much we could do with this Astral Link thing, I know," Ranma spat. "But why the hell didja insist on both of us going back to… to THAT?"

"Ranma, I had to find out exactly what it was that happened to you both at Jusendo," Shingen replied calmly. "You never mentioned more than a few words about it before, and I was convinced that something happened up there that's causing you to hold back. I sensed it in our sparring, and if I hadn't been so rattled when I first met you I might have sensed it back then."

"Are you telling me you had me an' her relay everything we experienced at Phoenix Mountain through that Link because you were curious?"

"Concerned is more like it." Shingen stood up slowly, keeping his eyes locked to Ranma's. "I wanted to know what was causing you to hold back on your power. I can see it now, you're stronger than I ever imagined you could be… you just have it reined in so tightly it's hard to see it all at first." He let out a long sigh. "I can also see why you'd want to keep that power constrained."

Ranma put a hand to his head. "Look, I get why ya wanted to know about it, but still, that wasn't fair, Shingen. I put up with enough hell that day when I had to… had to kill… I didn't want to have to relive it all over again in a threeway Link," he said tiredly. A shiver ran down his spine as more images, sporadic ones, flashed through his mind… images of that same day, yet not from his point of view. _And now I know what it was like for Akane, as well… at least, partially… couldn't make sense of most of what I saw…_

Shingen nodded sadly. "Believe me, I know all too well what it means to relive a nightmare you'd sooner forget." He straightened his jacket collar. "I honestly wasn't trying to hurt either of you. I know you'd just as soon forget everything that happened. But you have to understand that your blood, your _Hunter blood_ carries certain responsibilities. And those will often involve facing some of your deepest, darkest fears. We don't force duties, to be sure; a Hunter can pick and choose as they please most times, but sometimes a mission may call for us to face that which we'd rather not. You may be forced to call on that same power you're so afraid of, Ranma- not just to save one life, but possibly hundreds of lives. And when it comes to facing off against demonkind, more often than not, you will have to kill.

"I had to understand what it is you've both gone through. It's the only way I could hope to train you properly. Now I think I can."

Ranma was silent for a moment. Akane remained still, looking at the floor.

"Shingen… just don't ask me to do that again, okay?"

Shingen nodded. "Fair enough. I suppose I didn't really know what I was asking for when I set up a multiple Link between us." He turned towards the bunk room, then stopped. "Though I must say, it did help confirm my suspicions about a few things."

Ranma blinked. "Suspicions? What suspicions?"

The taller man shrugged. "Just that whatever happened to you two may have been serious enough to trigger your latent abilities," he said softly. "The final push, as it were. Only natural, really; after exposure to so much supernatural activity this past year, I'd be surprised if the incident with the Phoenix clan _didn't_ awaken each of you. In fact… it might have been what pulled you both through." He shrugged his jacket off and slung it over one shoulder, walking slowly towards the bunk room. "Get some rest if you can; we'll have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," he added before ducking inside.

Ranma sat in silence a moment longer before pulling himself to his feet. _Of all the memories he could've chosen for this little experiment of his, he had ta pick that one. I'll be lucky if I don't have another nightmare thanks to that… I just hope to gods Akane doesn't have one. Not after some of the stuff I saw… the sensations… didn't feel much, but maybe she was blocking out most of it from me._ He sighed, flexing his arms and trying to rid himself of the sensations… the _shared_ sensations of the battle royale with Saffron.

"There's… there's more to it than that…" Ranma's head snapped up at Akane's words. Turning, he saw her still kneeling on the floor, her fists gripping the fabric of her gi pants; she drew in a long breath and her shoulders started to shake.

"Akane…" Ranma closed the distance between them and kneeled next to her. "You okay?"

She sniffled; her eyes were hidden by her bangs but he could just make out a tear rolling down her cheek. "I will be… I'm just a little overwhelmed, that's all."

Slowly, he rested his right arm over her shoulders, drawing her into a gentle embrace. "Sorry… if he'd told us what we'd be recollecting when we started that exercise I woulda told him to pound sand…"

"It's not just that, Ranma," Akane said in a low tone. "I… I felt something when we were in the Link… something I think I should have known, or maybe needed to know. About what happened that day… on the mountain…" She shivered.

Ranma blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"I… I'd thought about it once or twice, I didn't think… t-there was anything to it, that it was j-just my imagination… didn't think it had r-really happened…"

"Acchan, you're starting to scare me; c'mon, tell me what's wrong." She looked up slowly and swallowed hard.

"I… I died."

Ranma's eyes widened as she sniffled and continued. "It wasn't for very long, just a moment or two… I t-thought I was just unconscious… but when we were in the Link, I felt something pass from Shingen to me… images, something he'd seen in me…" She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Ranma… if it hadn't been for you, I'd be dead right now."

Ranma shook his head, stunned. "You mean… I thought I'd gotten that water to ya in time, but when you didn't open your eyes…" A chill washed over him as he remembered how unresponsive she'd been, how cold her skin had felt after she'd returned to her normal size. "You… so you really did…"

Akane nodded. "Up till now I didn't think much of it," she said softly. "I don't remember much… just feeling very calm… cold… and alone… and I didn't want to be alone." She looked at the floor, hugging herself as Ranma pulled closer to her. "Then I heard you… I heard you cry out, felt a sudden warming… and I knew t-that's where I wanted to be… I tried to fight the cold, push it away… and then…"

"Then you woke up?"

She nodded. "Yeah…"

Ranma swallowed hard. "I can't believe it…" _And right in my arms, too… Gods, talk about cutting it too close to the mark…_

"I didn't even really know myself, but when I overheard Shingen's musings in the Link…" Akane shifted, pulling her knees to her chest. "He'd… he'd seen something in me… I've been scarred, Ranma."

"Scarred?" Ranma asked. "What're you talking about? What scar?"

"In my… I guess in my spirit," she replied slowly. "Something about… it wasn't clear, but I think I heard him call it a Lazarus Mark… a sign that I've… my spirit crossed over… and then came back…" Her shoulders began to shake again, and she bit her lip to try and choke back a sob. Ranma drew her into his arms and hugged her tight, running a hand up and down her back; she responded by gripping him tightly around the waist. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have come back at all… you h-helped me find my way back…"

"Akane… let's not talk about this anymore, please," said Ranma gently. "It's okay now. You're still here, I'm still here. We're both here." He stroked her hair as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "We just gotta make sure that what happened there, doesn't happen ever again. An' if you ask me, I don't think we'll have that kinda problem; you're getting better at the Art every day and we've both got this new gift that we're learning about. We just gotta take it one step at a time." He pushed a tear of his own back and kissed her on the neck. "I'm not gonna lose you again."

"I'm not gonna lose you, either," Akane said, tightening her hug slightly. The two said nothing for a few moments, but sat and clung to one another as though their lives depended on it.

After about a minute, Ranma stirred. "It's getting a bit late," he whispered in her ear. "Maybe we should get some sleep; that might make us both feel better."

Akane nodded slightly. "Just hold me a while longer, please."

"Anything you want… kawaii tomboy," Ranma said with a warm smile.

Akane giggled weakly and brushed a feather-light kiss on his cheek. "Handsome baka."

* * *

Soun had finished a prayer at the family shrine and was just stepping back into the house when he heard somebody descending the stairs with slow, heavy steps. _What on earth?_ he thought as he approached the foot of the stairs. _Did Saotome get up and try to get something from his room?_ He turned the corner and blinked in surprise as Nodoka trudged down the last two steps with an air he had seldom seen before. She was leaning against the wall slightly, and it looked as if she had been emotionally drained; he could just make out a single tear streak on her cheek, and audibly gulped as he noticed she was shaking in a manner befitting someone holding back a tsunami-sized rage.

"No-Nodoka?" Soun stammered, his eyes widening at the sight of her gripping her katana so tightly the knuckles on her right hand were white. "Um… you seem a little bit tense. Is… is everything alright?" At that moment, the sound of dishes being washed ceased and Kasumi emerged from the kitchen, curiosity and concern showing on her face. Nodoka looked up; her face was a mask of shock and shame, with a definite fire dancing in her eyes.

"No, Soun… everything is most definitely not alright," she said emotionlessly. "I'm afraid that my husband has been less than truthful about… about the 'training' he has put my son through."

"Er… training?"

"I never knew…" she murmured, beginning to shake some more as another tear escaped her eye. "I never knew… my son…"

"Oh, my," Kasumi said softly, not knowing what to make of things. "What was it, Auntie? What happened?" Nabiki sauntered by at that moment with a ledger and a soda, and promptly stopped when she caught sight of the Saotome matriarch shaking like a leaf. Just then several things happened simultaneously.

The book Nodoka had been holding in the crook of her left arm fell to the floor, displaying the words _Neko-ken_ for all the room to see.

A loud groan escaped the adjoining room, followed by a bleary-eyed Genma slouching up and padding into the foyer where the others were gathered. "Uhhh… No-chan, could you get me something to drink, please? I'm really quite thirsty…"

Nabiki promptly flinched and began backing away, casting a pitying look at Genma as a single word danced through her mind. _"Busted."_

Her instinct proved correct; Genma barely had time to blink before a loud SMACK echoed through the halls of the house, accompanied by him falling backwards and bouncing at least once before skidding to a halt on the floor. His eyes had easily grown to the size of baseballs and there was a massive red welt on his face.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

Genma flinched, staring up at Nodoka with a combination of confusion and fear. His mind was still woozy from the aftereffects of the Spirit Purge, but the sight of his wife with eyes blazing and a shaking hand on her katana's hilt snapped him to attention. "Uh… dear? Did I say something wrong?" he stammered.

"How could you do something so monstrous to your own son!" Nodoka snapped, taking a step towards him. "And just how long were you planning to wait before you told me? I trusted you to take care of Ranma on that foolish trip of yours, and now I find you've gone and done something like THIS? What kind of a father are you? Are you insane, stupid or just incredibly HEARTLESS?"

Genma gulped. "No-chan, please, what are you talking about?"

"Don't you 'No-chan' me, mister, it's not going to work tonight!" She bent down and snapped up the training manual, then flung it at Genma hard enough to bruise his forehead. "Did you think I wouldn't find out about this sooner or later?" Genma shook his head, looked down at the book and promptly turned white as a ghost. "I found it when I was cleaning your belongings, like a _good wife_ should; imagine my surprise when I leafed through it and found a few notes of your own on the inside of the cover! Notes that indicated you'd used this _foolish_ technique on our son, and not just once, either!"

"S-sweetheart, I c-can explain…"

"Explain what? That you were 'training' him? You think after reading the things I've read that I'd believe that excuse? Did you even bother to read the entire thing before subjecting my son to this… this TRAINING? This isn't training, it's nothing more than physical and psychological abuse!" She sucked in a quick breath as two tears worked their way down her face. "No, of course you didn't read the whole thing, you never do! That's why you and Ranma got cursed at Jusenkyo, too! You didn't pay attention! YOU DIDN'T CARE! All you care about is your damned martial arts school and protecting your own hide!"

Genma was shaking like Jell-O as he hurriedly assumed the Crouch of the Tiger stance. "I d-didn't know… I made a mistake, dear, I just wanted the boy to be strong and know an unbeatable technique, I didn't know what would happen, I'm a fool, I know I'm a fool, I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry…" He was abruptly cut off by another open palm slap, this time to the top of his head, and he realized something he had feared all along… Nodoka could hit HARD when she was angry.

"Stop blubbering, Genma, that won't work this time," she said in a tone as hard as steel. "You really think an 'I'm sorry' can fix this? You think it can take back the fact that you threw my baby to the mercy of starving cats? Gods only know what it could have done to him…"

"Not to mention the collateral damage it's caused," Nabiki muttered.

Just a second too late, she realized she'd spoken loud enough for everyone in the room to hear- especially Nodoka, who turned and stared at Nabiki and the others in shock.

"Wait a moment… you mean you knew about this?"

Soun swallowed hard. "Well… it was a bit hard not to…" Noting the ice in her glare, he sighed and stared at the floor in shame. "I would have said something, Nodoka, but I felt for sure Saotome would have told you. I figured it was a family matter… I… I didn't think it was my place." _I'm sorry, old friend, but this is one hole I can't help you dig your way out of._

Kasumi said nothing, but looked away guiltily. Nabiki twisted her hands and did likewise. For a few moments, Nodoka looked at each of them in disbelief, then hung her head and turned back towards her cowering husband.

"I can only assume you convinced or begged them not to mention anything to me," she said in a low tone. "Possibly with something related to 'honor' or the like thrown in, am I correct?"

Genma said nothing, but backed away from her another step and shut his eyes tightly. _I'm a dead man, I'm a dead man, I'm a dead man…_

"Great Kami, how could I have been so stupid," Nodoka said in a miserable tone. "All those years away from me, and the reward is a series of curses, broken promises, and heavens know what kind of mental scarring… what happened to you, Genma?" She looked up and stepped towards Soun. "I think I had better leave."

Kasumi looked up. "I beg your pardon, Auntie?"

"I'm afraid if I stay here this night I might do something in anger that I might regret later on," Nodoka replied in a shaky voice. "Soun, Kasumi, Nabiki, I thank you for your hospitality and only wish you could have felt free to tell me some of the things _that man_ has done while we were apart; it might have made things easier if you had." She turned on her heel and glared at Genma. "When my son comes home I want to have a long talk with him; what transpires from that will help me decide what must be done about this. Until then, I do _not_ wish to see you or talk to you, Genma Saotome… and if you so much as _think_ of leaving town before then, I will have no compunction against using this blade as I see fit!"

Genma opted that moment to take the path of least resistance and fainted.

* * *

That night was peaceful. A cooling breeze washed over Nerima as its various residents turned in for the evening. Storefronts and offices closed down, and people began thinking up plans for the weekend as they settled down to rest. Some had an easier time of it than others.

Soun couldn't sleep for fear of what might become of his old friend and training partner. He had to admit Genma had had it coming to him for a long time; there were numerous occasions when he had been shocked by the things Genma had done. Soun had put up a good front for the most part, going along with the excuse 'for the sake of the Art', but with this new revelation, he didn't think he could go along with it any longer.

Kasumi couldn't sleep; she was too worried about Auntie Nodoka's state of mind. She knew Nodoka was a strong-willed person, with a warrior's spirit, but something about her demeanor and the way she shook made Kasumi bite her lip. She hoped Auntie wouldn't be so rash as to execute Genma for what he had done, and was secretly relieved she had gone back to her own home for the time being. It would give her a chance to think things out- and while Kasumi did think Genma had done some very stupid things in his time, she didn't wish Seppuku on him, as Nodoka seemed to suggest. _Nobody deserves that in this day and age,_ she thought to herself.

At her home, Nodoka couldn't sleep; she was too busy berating herself for not being there when Ranma needed her most. She knew Genma had put him through harsh training, but to find out her son had gone through _this_ was more than she ever expected. It wasn't the action of the man she had married, and certainly didn't seem to have anything to do with becoming manly. The more she thought it over, the more it seemed to her that Genma hadn't fulfilled the contract so much as Ranma had. The Genma she once knew was no coward, didn't back down begging for his life, and didn't seem like the kind of man who would sneak around and lie to others. A new batch of tears escaped her as she wondered what had happened to the man she had fallen in love with. _I mustn't let emotion rule my actions,_ she said to herself firmly. _This isn't something that can be solved with one quick action or the edge of a blade. Kami help me, part of me still does care for the idiot… but what do I do now?_

Nabiki couldn't sleep; she was on a caffeine buzz.

* * *

Ranma looked around. He was standing in the local park, not two feet from the tree where he and Akane had first had lunch together almost a year prior. He blinked, then looked down at himself; he wore his favorite red vest and black pants, and the wrist and ankle weights were gone. The sky above the leaf canopy was clear and bright, not a cloud visible. There wasn't a sound anywhere except for the wind and the occasional bird.

"Must be dreaming," he said to himself, letting out a sigh. "Heh, thought for sure I'd be havin' another nightmare after that damn exercise." He walked over to the bench and sat down heavily, his mind racing. He was still having a hard time coming to grips with what he'd learned… that he hadn't just saved Akane in the nick of time, but apparently brought her back from the dead as well. He bit his lip as visions of what could have happened otherwise swam through his mind. _Why the hell didn't Shingen just tell me himself?_ He rested his elbows on his knees and sighed.

"If I'd been a moment too late… or if somethin' else had happened…" He wrung his hands and stared at some of the trees. A moment passed by and he groaned, batting himself on the head. "Dammit, don't think like that, what's done is done. She's okay, I'm okay." He leaned back on the bench, resting his head lightly against the tree behind it. A light breeze wafted through the dream-park, and for a few moments Ranma sat in silence. A pair of birds sang in the treetops above.

"Haven't had a nice quiet dream in a while," he said to himself, looking around the park. "I wish Akane was here…"

"I wish Ranma was here…"

His head jerked up at the sound of a familiar voice. Glancing around, he caught sight of a figure walking through another section of the park. A figure in a simple yet elegant yellow sundress, with short blue-black hair. She was looking away from him but froze in place at the same time Ranma caught a glimpse of her.

Ranma stood up slowly as she turned around to face him. "Hey… 'kane?"

Akane blinked. "Ranma? What're you doing here?"

"Hey, that's my line," he replied as he crossed the park and joined her under a tree. "Is that really you? Or are you just part of my dream?"

"What're you talking about?" Akane asked, confused. "Part of your dream? I thought I was the one dreaming, maybe you're just a part of my dream!"

"How could I be part o' your dream when I was…" Ranma began.

"But I was just over there until you called out to…" said Akane before her sentence ground to a halt. Both of them blinked at the same time.

"The Link."

Akane's eyes widened- and then she giggled. "We Linked in our sleep?"

"I think we gotta get a little more control on this thing, unless ya wanna be hooked up at the head all the time," Ranma snickered. Akane nodded with another laugh of her own before taking a step forward and pulling Ranma into a hug. He reciprocated readily, and for another moment the two of them held on to one another until their laughs subsided.

At length, Ranma pulled back to look Akane in the eyes. "Still… I gotta admit, this is real nice."

"What, the fact that we're having a pleasant dream, or the fact we're sharing a dream?"

"Yes," he answered with a smirk.

"You goofball," Akane murmured playfully, mussing his hair up with her hand. "You are right, though… this is really nice." She pulled back a little further. "Hey, isn't this the park where…"

"Yeah, when we were first engaged," Ranma replied. "We were having some lunch on that bench when you told me about the way Doc Tofu acted around Kasumi."

"That's right… I was still wearing my hair long back then," said Akane. She paused, then squeezed his hand. "That wasn't really one of our better days, was it?"

Ranma shrugged, then sighed. "That was a long time ago, Acchan. I think I was a bit of a bigger jerk back then."

"So why dream of this place?"

Another sigh. "I think it was one of the only real quiet times we had before all hell broke loose. Yeah, it wasn't exactly what I'd call a date, but for a while at least… it was just… I dunno, quiet."

Akane nodded slowly. "And we didn't get too many of those moments afterward, did we," she mused.

"I guess I just wanted something nice to counter that damn exercise we did, so I wound up here." Ranma paused, then turned back to face her again. "Hey, you feel any better?"

"I think so," she said. "Still a little rattled about the whole thing, but I'll be okay." She looked at him and smirked. "You're going to worry about me regardless, aren't you?"

"Hey, I'm tryin' my best but ya know I can't help it sometimes."

Akane's smile grew warm. "Yeah, I know." A moment later, she shifted her grip, lacing her fingers with his. "Hey… come with me, I want to show you something." Ranma turned and gave her a slightly confused look. "Relax, dummy, it's nothing bad." She tugged on his hand, pulling him down the lane she had been walking on. Ranma shrugged, allowing her to guide him into another section of the park. Soon they were darting through a heavily wooded area that Ranma knew for certain wasn't part of the park; the concrete path had disappeared, replaced by a sylvan lane lined with ferns and exotic flowers. Every once in a while, he would glimpse off to one side and catch a flash of something… an image? Or was it a memory? He started to wonder if he was seeing some of Akane's memories through the Link when the path suddenly opened up and Akane slowed down. He looked up.

They were standing in an open field on a hill overlooking a valley. A long line of trees ran down the hill on his left, and off in the distance he could just make out a river snaking down the valley and emptying into a perfectly still lake. Not far from where he and Akane stood, he could make out a single flowering tree, casting shade over a patch of flat grassy ground. It wasn't quite the same as his dream's park, but the feeling of calm was nearly identical.

"What is this place?"

"My family used to come here when I was little," said Akane softly. "Years ago… before my mom passed away. Every once in a while, we'd bring a picnic out to this ridge and spend the day just… just having fun." She looked around and squeezed his hand again. "I think of this place now and again if I need some quiet time… it's special to me." She paused, then looked up into Ranma's eyes.

"I used to dream about my mom all the time, about being with her here again. Made it easier to deal with things if I thought back to those times."

Ranma nodded slowly. "You say ya used to… don't you do that anymore?"

She nodded slightly. "Sure I do… but not always right here. I mean, I still love this place, I want to go back there for real some time soon… and I wanted someone else special to me to see it, too." A light breeze drifted across the field, scattering a few flowers playfully.

Ranma looked around. "I wish I'd been able to have a place like this when I was little."

Akane nodded sadly, remembering some images she'd seen while in the threeway Link… images of being on the move, never resting at any one place for long, to say nothing of the countless days of rigorous, often brutal, training at his father's hands. It wasn't something she'd intended to see, but couldn't help but notice during the exercise, and it made her curse herself even more for all the times she'd berated him without waiting for an explanation. She sidled closer to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. "You know… if you want, I'd be happy to share this place with you."

"You don't have to do that, if it's your special place an' all…"

"I told you I wanted someone else special to see it too, didn't I?" She poked him playfully on the nose, prompting him to poke her back. She giggled and started walking towards the tree. It wasn't long before the two of them were sitting on the ground in the shade, cuddled up to one another and talking about some of their better times.

Gradually the conversation drifted off and the two of them sat in silence for some time, watching errant clouds drift over the dreamscape treetops. Every once in a while, a bird would land in the tree and sing a few notes, and just as soon fly off.

"You know, I was worried neither of us would be having good dreams tonight," Ranma said, breaking the silence. "Not after that mess… or that Laser-russ thing you told me about."

Akane nodded, smoothing out part of her sundress. "Maybe we didn't dream about it because we already relived it," she mused. "I'm no expert, but maybe just facing it all over again in that exercise was supposed to help us come to terms with it."

"You mean like how if a person watches a scary movie enough, they get numb to it?" Ranma asked, slightly confused.

"I guess, I don't know." Akane shivered slightly and pulled closer to Ranma. "I was just glad to be in a place I recognized, and started wishing I could share it with you." She paused, then snickered. "Maybe that's what got me into your dream."

"Or me into yours," Ranma replied with a smile. Akane nodded.

Another moment passed. Akane looked away and shifted nervously. "Um… Ranma? Can I ask you something?"

"Hey, you can ask me anything ya want, Akane. What's up?"

Akane fidgeted, pressing her fingers together slightly. "Well… I've been thinking about something for a while… probably ever since Sunday night, after we first cleared the air between us…" She turned and rested on her knees, looking nervously at Ranma, who began to look confused. "Ranma… do you… well, you know if things had turned out differently on Sunday, we would've been… we might've been married by now…" She swallowed hard. "Do… do you wish it could have been different?"

Ranma blinked; it wasn't a question he had been expecting, least of all in the middle of a _dream_. He knew it would have come up sooner or later, and had been dreading that his Saotome foot-in-mouth syndrome would rear itself. He looked at her sitting before him, obviously scared of what the answer might be. His face relaxed. There wasn't any prodding at the back of his head, no impulses from an unknown source. _I can do this._

"That's not an easy question to answer, Acchan," he said in a soft tone. "The truth is, there's a lot of things I wish coulda been different… but at the same time, it may have been for the best."

Akane stared at him. "What?"

"Let me finish," he said with a voice that could calm a drunken panda. Akane blinked and settled back, telling herself not to jump to conclusions.

"I'm not saying that I didn't want it to happen at all." Akane looked up at that, a spark of hope beginning to flicker in her. "Look at it this way… our dads practically railroaded us into it; I get knocked out and wake up in a tuxedo, we both wind up reverting to form- and I'm sorry I did that, must've been that damn curse that made me fight with ya like that- and then we get everyone from the local wrecking crew visiting before either of us ever had a chance to deal with them." He sighed. "I felt like I was gettin' played like a puppet that day, an' I was afraid you were, too."

Akane nodded slowly. "Yeah… that was a little much to deal with," she said. "Maybe if I'd just told you I wanted to go through with it in the first place, we wouldn't have gotten into that fight…"

"Would that have stopped the morons from cropping up and blowing up the place?"

Akane paused, then shook her head. "No, I guess not."

"All I wanted was a chance to clear the whole mess up beforehand; trouble is I was bangin' my brains out trying to figure out a way to do it…"

"And not coming up with too many solutions," Akane continued. "I know how you feel, I couldn't really think of anything reasonable, either." She shrugged. "I used to think it was easy- pick one fiancée and be done with it- but I guess it just wasn't ever that simple."

"Nope, not with the way some of those deals came up." Ranma paused, then took a deep breath. "Besides… there was one thing I wanted to do before either one of us got decked out in wedding attire."

"What was that?"

He swallowed hard and took her left hand in his right.

"Look… I know ya weren't too happy at first with this, the way our dads and your sisters kinda bunched us together without giving us a choice- but that's old ground, I know, we've been talkin' about that on an' off all week," he said. "I just… I just wish we'd had a chance to move at our own pace, that's all. Hell, all I wanted was a moment where we could be alone… get away from all the idiots, maybe have a chance to get my head in order." He held her hand a bit tighter and fidgeted. "I never even got the chance to find some place like this… just some out o' the way place where… where we could sit an' talk… where I could finally get over my own damn ego and say something like…" He took one deep breath and looked her straight in the eyes. "Akane Tendo, will you marry me?"

Akane's breath caught in her throat. She'd had a feeling the conversation had been heading in the direction it had, but part of her had been scared… scared he'd try to make some stupid joke, or that he'd back off and change the conversation to something else. _He said it… he actually said it! Dream or no, it was the real Ranma, not one I'd thought up, and he actually said it after all this time!_ A smile broke out on her face and she lunged forward, catching him in an Amazon-style glomp that knocked him onto his back, beneath the tree.

Ranma gasped; it may have been a dreamscape but it still felt like the wind got knocked out of him. "Uh… does that mean you will?"

Akane laughed, an errant happy tear rolling down her face. "Ranma no baka, do you think I could possibly say no after everything we've just been through?" she giggled, cupping his face in her hands. "Of course I will!" She sniffled once, then brought her face down to meet his and gave him a loving kiss, which he readily returned.

After a moment, their lips separated and Ranma looked up at her with a smile on his face. "Ya don't mind I asked you while we're both asleep, do you?"

She shook her head. "I'm just glad you asked at all," she said. "That means a lot to me… it really does. Especially here."

"Hey, maybe sometime soon we can go up to this valley for real- when we're awake, I mean," Ranma mused.

"That'd be really nice… I'd like that, maybe once we get things settled down once and for all." She stroked his hair and laid down beside him, snuggling into the crook of his arm. "Hey… you know I love you, right?"

Ranma nodded. "I love you too, Acchan… I'm just sorry I kept putting off tellin' you."

"I'm sorry, too," Akane replied. "I promise you, I'm gonna make up for all the times I lost it around you…"

"Hey, ya don't have to do that, I thought I told you that on Sunday."

"I mean it, Ranma. I did a lot of really rotten things to you because I couldn't keep my temper under control, and a lot of times you hadn't even done anything wrong, either," she said, a look of regret mixing with the joy in her eyes. "I did a lot of thinking on and off this past week… I don't like the person I was, at least around you, and I…"

"Akane," he said, interrupting her as he propped himself up on his elbows. "Stop. We already talked about this a couple times before; stop beatin' yourself up over the past. Geez, you've told me a few times to stop beatin' myself up over it- it's okay. Don't worry about it. Let's just chalk it up to both of us needin' to grow a little. Yeah, we made some mistakes and we fought a lot, but we were always there when we needed each other, right?" He brushed her cheek, wiping a tear away. "You don't have ta make up for anything."

For a moment, Akane said nothing, but looked at her pig-tailed fiancé and wondered how he could be so forgiving. Gradually, the mixed emotion in her eyes passed on; the shadow of remorse lifted, leaving only the joy at the realization that he was _hers_, and hers alone. It didn't matter whether he had proposed in a shared dream, in the Tendo dojo or in the middle of the Neko Hanten, the simple fact was he had done it. He had offered her a choice- albeit one she had made long before. A warmth spread over her, as did a desire to share her joy with him. "Ranma…"

"Yeah?" he replied before noticing the sudden predatory look in her eyes.

"Kiss me." A second later, Ranma found himself on his back once again, Akane lying atop his chest as she pressed her lips to his. It took barely a second for him to re-assess the situation, and shortly thereafter he folded his arms across her back, pulling her close as he kissed her with equal abandon. A contented sigh escaped Akane as she opened her lips, allowing their tongues to caress and mingle in a fire dance of their own. Her right hand traced slow circles on his chest as her left snaked beneath his head, pulling him to her with no resistance whatever. Ranma's left hand reciprocated her action, stroking a spot on the back of Akane's neck that elicited a moan of pleasure. His right hand smoothed out a path down her back, gliding along the curve of her hip and then reversing the direction towards her waist; the gentle caresses sent tingles down Akane's spine and fresh tears of happiness down her cheeks.

As the two young lovers became lost in each other's embrace, they failed to notice the dreamscape begin to fade, washing away like a sandcastle at high tide…

* * *

Shingen folded his arms in amusement. "And here I thought I'd seen it all," he chuckled.

The night for him had been relatively uneventful. He had retired about the same time as Ranma and Akane had, his thoughts continually returning to the same thing. _"It matches up too well to be discounted,"_ he had thought to himself even as he slept. _"The Elders' Scroll said it clearly… one who would overcome the icy grip of death, another who would challenge the gods- they would be the heirs to two lost clans."_

He had awakened early in the morning out of sheer impatience, and had sat on his bunk in contemplation. He had put up a hospital screen between his bunk and the others, allowing for some modicum of privacy. "Akane bears a Lazarus Mark, proving she died once and returned… and Ranma challenged and defeated the demigod Saffron in mortal combat to try and save her. Both bear the marks of Hunter blood in their aura, and then Father sends me…" Eventually he had nodded to himself and slid out of his bunk, padding quietly to the washroom to shower and change. "Who would've thought those two would signal the revival of _those_ clans." _I never thought I'd see the day the Tiger and the Stallion rose again…_

He had finished cleaning up and had just re-tied his bandanna when he had overheard some odd sounds emanating from the bunk room. He dismissed it at first, thinking Ranma was talking in his sleep, but then overheard something akin to moaning. It brought back memories of the multi-way Link exercise and it had occurred to him that the aftereffects might not be pleasant ones. In short order, he exited the bathroom and skirted around one of the privacy curtains… where he now stood in disbelief. Walking and talking in one's sleep was one thing. Making out in one's sleep was another- but was apparently possible, as Akane had somehow left her bunk and wound up sprawled across Ranma's body in the next bunk. The two of them were kissing almost hard enough to bruise each other's lips, and their hands seemed to have taken on a life of their own as they caressed and clung to one another.

Shingen shook his head and cleared his throat. "I think you'd best save your strength for _training,_ you two. Come on, we can't sleep the day away… or whatever it is you two were doing."

Akane's eyes snapped open, as did Ranma's. For a moment, there was absolute silence in the room; she pulled away from his lips almost in a daze as they stared at one another.

"Uh… morning," Ranma said at length, a halting laugh in his voice.

"Yeah… morning to you, too," Akane replied in an identical tone. "I… wow… I guess that was more than just a dream." She disentangled herself from his embrace slowly, noting the weights on her wrists and ankles again. Ranma nodded, then began to laugh- nervously at first, but quickly becoming more relaxed; Akane joined him soon after.

"Mind telling me what had you two so energetic at this early hour?" asked Shingen, bemused.

"Well, ya see…" "It's just that…" "I was fast asleep an' was hopin' she wasn't having nightmares…" "I wanted to share something I saw in my dream with him…" "I saw her…" "We started walking together…" "Didn't know we could do this…"

Shingen shook his head and held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down already." He straightened his bandanna out. "Now I could only hear about half of what you two were saying, but I'm guessing- based on what I did hear- that somehow you two managed to create an Astral Link while asleep?" The two paused, then nodded with a slight blush.

Shingen smirked. "Not that big a deal, really, just means you're getting more proficient with the Link. Though I wouldn't say dreamsharing is the best use of the Link, tactically speaking anyway. It can be fun- me and my sister used to dreamshare when we were younger- but that kind of energy is best used for communication on the battlefield." He turned and retrieved his jacket from a peg on the wall. "Still, must've been a hell of a dream if it resulted in that."

Akane flushed bright red. "Shingen!"

"Hey, I'm just pulling your chain, alright?" he replied, throwing his hands up in an 'I surrender' gesture. "I'm just glad you didn't have a bad night, that's all… I know that last exercise was rough on you both yesterday. As it is, we've got a long day ahead of us; there's not much space in the washroom so you'll have to take turns in there." He turned on a heel and walked to the far end of the bunk room, where he rummaged through several boxes of breakfast items.

Akane straightened her hair out and looked at Ranma sheepishly. "Um… sorry about that, I guess I got so into the dream I kinda lost control," she muttered.

"Eh… no biggie," Ranma replied awkwardly. "Although… I gotta admit, that was kind of a nice way to wake up."

Akane giggled and blushed again. "Guess I can't really argue with you on that," she said. After a moment, her smile faltered and she looked up into his eyes again. "Ranma… did you really ask me what I thought you asked me? In the dream?"

He smiled. "Only if you really did say yes." Her smile returned in full force and she nodded before sitting up and pulling him into a quick hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. She took a deep calming breath, then pulled away to look him in the eyes with a playful smirk. "Dibs on the bath," she quipped before planting a peck on his forehead, skipping away from him and grabbing her clothes; this done, she scrambled into the washroom leaving a stunned but highly amused Ranma in her tracks.

* * *

"I know I should have let both of you know about the Lazarus Mark," said Shingen. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you, Ranma; I didn't think you'd take it well from me." He took a bite of a cereal bar and chewed slowly. Akane and Ranma were sitting on a bunk opposite him, both dressed in their practice gis. "I let it slip to Akane during the Link- she had to know, and I thought you might take it better from her. If I made a mistake, I apologize."

Ranma said nothing, but took a bite of his own breakfast bar and chewed for a long time. Akane sat next to him and sipped a cup of instant tea.

"So… what does this Lazzy-thing mean?" he asked eventually. "Is it gonna hurt her, or…"

Shingen shook his head. "It's nothing serious, my friend," he said. "It's usually nothing more than spiritual scar tissue… it just means you came really close to the edge, that's all."

Akane nodded to herself. "Too close, you mean."

"But not close enough," Shingen continued. "You're a very lucky person, Akane."

She nodded again, subconsciously squeezing Ranma's hand. "I know." She took another sip, then looked up. "Is there anything else I should know?"

Shingen shrugged, finishing off the cereal bar. "It all depends on how one receives the scar," he said. "There could be no residual effect at all… then again, it's possible your senses could become heightened in some way over time." He shrugged, then stood up. "Coming back from the brink can sometimes do that to a person. I should know." He sighed. "I've been there myself."

Ranma blinked. "Huh?"

"I've been a part of my clan's trade since I was seven years old- twenty years of training and fighting as a Hunter. I got taken to the edge once when I was sixteen- I got careless, didn't prepare myself properly." He sighed and pulled up his t-shirt; Akane gasped at the sight of three wicked scars running diagonal from his pectorals down across his stomach. Shingen nodded once and pulled his shirt back down again.

"Look, this isn't important right now. We've got a lot of work to do today; I want to work on ki techniques this morning and see what you both can do. But before we do that, there's something else I want to show you." He straightened his jacket and headed for the door to the main warehouse, beckoning them both to follow.

A few moments later, they were all out sitting in a circle on the training floor. Akane shook her head, trying to adjust to the combination of what she had heard and seen. The prospect of what had given Shingen a scar like that rattled her a lot, but at the same time she kept telling herself that this was why they were training. _If we have to face something with a claw that size, I want to be ready,_ she told herself.

Ranma, for his part, had slowly begun to calm down over the whole matter, and was mulling over something entirely different. _I wonder if this whole Hunter blood thing slows down aging, Shingen sure as hell doesn't look 27..._ His thoughts were abruptly cut off as Shingen set something down on the floor before them- the long black case he had brought with them.

"Before I show you what's in here, I'd like to know something," Shingen said.

_Great. More questions,_ Ranma groused. "Okay, whatcha want to know now?"

Shingen looked at them both long and hard. "Do the names Sagara or Saito mean anything to either of you?"

Ranma blinked. On the periphery of his vision he saw Akane's eyes widen slightly. _Okay… now this is gettin' really odd,_ he thought. "Uh… did you say Sagara?"

"I did," Shingen replied. "Do you recognize it?"

"Well… yeah, I kinda do," Ranma said uneasily. "I think Sagara was actually my mom's maiden name…"

"What about you, Akane?"

Akane nodded slowly. "Actually… it's the same for me; Saito was my mother's name before she became a Tendo…"

Shingen nodded. "Then there isn't any doubt," he said, flipping open the latches on the case. As he pulled the top open, Ranma and Akane both stared at the two wakizashi lying within. The runes engraved on each sword's saya appeared to scintillate with an inner pulse of its own. Both teens' eyes traveled up and down the length of the blades- and suddenly stopped. Ranma's eyes widened; Akane's hand flew to her mouth in shock.

On the blue sheath of the tiger-motif sword, near the tsuba, was engraved a family crest bearing the kanji, _Saito._ On the red-black saya of the stallion-mark sword lay a similar engraving. The kanji for _Sagara_ was clearly visible.

"These aren't mere wakizashi, you two. These are Hunter clan swords," said Shingen softly. "_Your_ clan swords."

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's note: First, thank you for the update requests; they helped get my butt back in gear to bang this chapter out. I know it took longer than usual, but I was in Dallas at A-Kon buying much anime that I still haven't had a chance to see yet. Work's been busy as hell, too. Plus, the further I get into this story, the longer it seems to take to organize my thoughts. I appreciate your patience; I promise the story will be completed eventually.

For anime buffs, the names of Sagara and Saito are not intended to be a link to Rurouni Kenshin in any way; I happened to find the names appealing. Read into it what you will. For those curious about the references to the Tiger and the Stallion, remember that Kuno often refers to Akane as his wild tigress, and of course, Ranma's name translates to 'wild horse'. And, for an even deeper meaning, look up the Horse and Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac. Certain aspects of their personalities match very closely to our favorite duo- and more importantly, according to the Zodiac, the Horse and the Tiger are a perfect match for one another. Just food for thought about those two…

Dragon Man 180: Quite right about Genma being in trouble, but I think he had it coming for a long time. What will happen to him is yet to be seen. As for Shampoo- could be her infection is growing, or could just be exhaustion and depression over losing her airen. More on that to come.

Priestess Kohana: Thank you, and good luck with your own work. I hope you've enjoyed this installment.

The-shadow002: Glad you liked their banter, and you're right about the combat application of the Astral Link. More training to come in the next chapter.

Lerris: Thanks.

Expired Doughnuts: Thank you, I'll try my best.

Sisana: I've been trying hard not to make one more dominant than the other, given their natures, but once in a while one may be a little more forward- as evidenced in this chapter. As for Akane reaching Ranma's skill level- it's doubtful it could happen any time soon, but with the training they're going through she'll likely be learning enough to at least not fall behind him.

Wonderbee31: Genma's ultimate punishment will have to wait for another time, and as for our duo getting along better, I'd always thought the Saffron incident was supposed to be the real turning point for them. It's only natural for them to get closer once they realize how much they mean to each other and push their old habits aside. Thanks for your support.

Borg rabbit: After almost a year of chasing him, Shampoo'll need a bit of time to recover, IMHO. And I agree with you, long live WAFF.

RanChan16: Thank you, hope you enjoyed this installment; it's a lot of stuff I'd been mulling over since Dallas.

Fotoguy: Thanks again for your support; Dallas was good, and I hope this chapter has kept up to snuff.

Inu-ears: Hope this installment has proved satisfactory. I try to update when I can, but it takes more and more time these days. The empty pool incident was touched on in one of my previous author notes; if anything, it may have expedited her blood's awakening by triggering a latent defense mechanism in her aura. I leave it up to the reader's imagination. Thanks for your support.

Taro MD: Your thoughts on their destiny are intriguing; whether it happens one way or another is yet to be seen, as is Nodoka's dealings with Genma. If I told you what happens now, that'll spoil all the fun… Thanks, man.

The Steel Phoenix: Big Bad Boss of Doom will have to wait for another day. Patience, my friend. Glad you like it so far.

heartdragon: I don't actually get my ideas from Charmed; I don't watch it. Glad you like the story though, and I hope this chapter pleases.

2laz2login: As said before, sometimes updates take time. I'm not a machine. But I do appreciate the demand for updates; I guess it means someone likes my work.

Thanks for stopping by; I don't know when the next chapter will be forthcoming. Hopefully it won't be three weeks like this time, but you never can tell. Next installment- ki training begins. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	23. A Shift in the Wind

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I find that the further I progress with this story, the longer it seems to take to crank out the next installment. Pray forgive this humble author for any excessive delays. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 23: A Shift in the Wind

--------------------

_An excerpt from the writings of Shoichi Yamashira, seer and historian of Hunter Clan Yamashira, written in the early years of the Meiji era, roughly 1869:_

_I have foreseen many hard times for our people. In ages past, the Demon Hunters were far stronger and more unified than today. One by one, our clans have fallen from the path- or worse, killed off by our ancient spirit foes. The sealing of Japan's borders and restriction on spiritual diversity imposed by the Tokugawas was only one step, but one that signaled the beginning of the real decline. These occurrences, plus the horrific losses we suffered- not at the hands of demons, but of our fellow humans, when some of our young were pulled into military service at the Battle of Seki ga Hara- prompted two of our finest warrior clans to abandon the path and the Code in disgust, and thus fade into the background._

_Other clans have since renounced their blood in similar fashion- the miko traditions of Ikeda clan, or the renowned archer clan of Fukazawa- but the loss of their gift was secondary to the two clans lost so long ago. When Junichiro Sagara, the Black Stallion, and his comrade-in-arms Kenzo Saito, the Wild Tiger, both laid down their swords and vanished into obscurity, the Hunters lost their greatest warriors in over a thousand years._

_Many more hard times lie ahead for us. The lost clans will thin and branch out; their history fade into myth and fable. Much time will pass and many losses will be suffered, and our numbers will dwindle even more. But I have foreseen a glimmer of hope._

_The Tiger and the Stallion's blood may sleep for now, their clan blades locked away in our libraries- but I believe that it will not vanish into darkness. I have seen it myself. The Demons will try their best to cut down our ranks. There will come a time when chaos will run like a river. When that time comes, lost blood shall arise again. The scions of Sagara and Saito will come into their power._

_One youth will overcome the icy grip of death. One will challenge the very gods. They will be the heirs to the two lost clans. The Tiger and the Stallion will awaken once more. And their union shall overcome the darkness, to confront the chaos at its source._

--------------------

"So that's where it came from," Akane murmured quietly as she sat on the training floor, arms behind her head as she warmed up and stretched out her muscles. Several minutes had passed since Shingen had shown them the swords and told them the salient points of the blades' legacies. He hadn't related all the details of Shoichi Yamashira's vision, only those relating to their ancestors; the fact that their mothers' clans once shared a common bond had shaken both of them up a good deal. She glanced towards the bunk room where the case containing the swords now rested. "I never thought I'd wake up and find myself part of another family legacy in addition to our dojo."

Ranma nodded as he sat next to her, stretching his legs out via a very uncomfortable-looking split. "I know the feeling, but with all the other things that got heaped on me over the past year or so, this didn't really surprise me as much as I thought it might."

"What didn't surprise you, the origin of our blood or the other thing?" She didn't vocalize it, but silently wondered to herself about the 'other thing'. _It's just so weird… is it some sort of fluke that I have an ancestor who fought alongside his? Or is it karma… or destiny? And if it is destiny, does that mean… were he and I meant to find each other all this time?_

"The origin, Akane; I sure as hell knew I didn't get this from my old man," he replied with an almost forced chuckle. _I gotta admit, though… it is kinda weird if you think about it. I mean, our mothers' clans having a warrior's bond centuries ago, and nobody knows anything about it? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me…_ He breathed out a sigh and rolled into a standing position, swinging his arms loosely for a moment- or as loosely as he could with the weights on his wrists. _Mom did say something about hearing bedtime stories about this sorta thing… I wonder how she'd take it if she knew it was family history she was hearing._

Akane snickered slightly at his comment. "Yeah, I suppose if you did get it from your dad he would've pawned that clan sword before you ever saw it- well, if he'd known about it anyways," she quipped. The comment broke Ranma's contemplation and he guffawed, prompting another laugh from Akane.

"Yeah, ya got that right; old fart didn't hesitate to try an' pawn that tournament award from the Saotome family grave," he said in a slightly bitter tone. "An' then he finds out the thing got pawned by a previous Saotome…" he added with a chuckle.

"Kami, the look on his face must've been priceless," Akane giggled, pushing the thoughts of their Hunter heritage out of her mind for the moment. She took a calming breath and stood up, testing the weights on her arms and legs. "Hmm… that's weird…"

"Huh? What's weird, 'kane?"

Akane lifted her forearm up and down a few times. "I could almost swear this thing feels heavier than it did yesterday," she said, looking up at Ranma. "Do yours feel weird, or is it just me?"

Ranma frowned. "Actually… I don't think it's just you, they do feel kinda hefty today." He flexed his own arm a few times. "Maybe it's just our muscles shoutin' at us for wearin' these things all night."

Akane jumped up and down a few times; there was definitely a little more effort required than before. "This doesn't make any sense; the weights don't look any bigger."

"That's because they aren't any bigger," Shingen piped up from where he stood at the table across the room. "Those are progressive training weights, crafted long ago by the magic of a clan priest; the weights grow denser- and thus heavier- the longer you train. The faster you get used to the weights, the faster the weight increases. By my own experience with those, each weight should have reached five pounds by now for a combined total of twenty pounds of weight on each of you."

Akane blinked. "Magic leg weights? You never mentioned that…"

"Didn't seem important at the time," Shingen replied with a shrug. "Now, I've got some touch-up work to do here; you'd better start the aura exercise without me." He turned his attention back to the Purge wards resting on the table. One was nearly complete, while the second was little more than a few lines of ink. He dipped a brush in a nearby ink pot and began scribing tiny, intricate patterns on each strip of parchment.

"Yeah, maybe we oughta get started, Akane; we tried this yesterday just before the Link exercise an' you know it didn't work too well," said Ranma.

"Of course it didn't work well, Ranma, I'm not used to switching battle aura on and off like you are- especially when I'm not fighting."

"Bein' used to it's got nothing to do with it. One, you were trying too hard an' thinking about it too much, and two, when ya did get your aura to flare, it's 'cause you were getting angry with the whole thing. Remember what I said about that? Lose your cool and ya lose the fight?"

Akane sighed and nodded. The two of them had spent a few minutes after their balance pole exercise working on her battle aura manifestation- something Shingen had told them would be key to upcoming ki manipulation training. Success had been very limited- partly due to fatigue, partly due to how little time they actually spent on it, and mostly because of Akane's impatience and no small amount of over-eagerness. Several times Ranma had told her not to think about it so much, but all it did was make her angry at herself for not being able to call up more than a flicker of ki at a time. Of course, once the anger kicked in, so did the aura. _But that's not the way I want to do it,_ Akane thought as she stretched her arms out once more. _I don't want to have to get angry just to get my aura up, I'll just get mad all the time if I keep doing that._ "You're right… I just feel like I'm dropping behind again, that's all. I wish I could do it as easily as you do."

"Hey, I think you're forgettin' something- remember how long it took me to do some of the things I do?" Ranma replied with a smirk. "Took me ages to come up with the Moko Takabisha, an' don't forget the Amaguriken took me a week. These things take time, Akane. Ya can't just flip it on like a light switch." He stretched his neck out and took a deep breath. "C'mon, let's try it again."

"Okay," Akane replied, taking a breath of her own and letting her arms hang loose. She closed her eyes and gradually began pushing worries to the back of her mind, taking slow, measured breaths. She pried her focus away from her surroundings and tried to feel the ebb and flow of her own aura, but doubt began cropping up in her mind as it subtly evaded her grasp. _It's not working. I can't do this unless I'm in a fight or if I'm angry._ She could feel tension beginning to build up in her shoulders… and all at once, the tension left as she felt something she wasn't expecting. She felt Ranma's arms gently slip around her waist, felt him gingerly pull her into an embrace from behind.

"Maybe we need to try this a different way," he said softly, nuzzling her neck ever so slightly. A warm sensation washed over Akane and she leaned back against him, pressing her back against his chest. The remaining tension in her joints seemed to evaporate. _Any more of this,_ she thought, _and I think I'm gonna melt…_

"Don't think about trying to grab hold of your ki, Acchan," he was saying. "Don't try and force it. Just relax… let your mind go… don't think about it, just let it happen."

Akane nodded, keeping her eyes closed. "Maybe we should've used this method last night," she murmured. A mild flush crept over her face; it felt like liquid fire was beginning to flow through her veins. Her breathing evened out and her shoulders dropped slightly. _Feels so warm…_ Visions of their shared dream began to flash through her mind and she felt the fire begin to burn hotter still.

"Let it flow through you, Akane… around you, over you…" He slowly moved his hands, brushing up from her waist to her shoulders, then down her arms, until his hands came to rest on her forearms. "Now find something in your heart ya can focus on… a feeling, something positive you can hold onto and not let go… something that fuels the fire inside… let it flow, too. Feel it, breathe it… let the negative fade away…" His hands reversed direction, brushing back up her arms to her shoulders, down her back, until they reached her waist once again, then repeated the cycle.

_Kami, this is too much,_ Akane thought to herself. _I feel like my whole body's on fire; he keeps this up and I might lose control and wind up jumping him right here and now…no, bad girl, bad Akane, can't think like that in the middle of training…_ She blushed madly, shaking that thought off and filing it away for future reference; this, however, did nothing to take her mind off the fact that his words and his close proximity were making her blood boil. She took in a series of measured breaths, letting the warmth surround her, flowing along her body in a steady rhythm; she could almost feel it pulsing in time with her heart, pounding as it was.

"Akane… open your eyes." At his words, Akane took in a short breath and cracked her eyes open ever so slightly. The warmth from his touch and her own rapidly raging emotions continued to play havoc with her mind for a few seconds; she blinked once, refocusing her irises… and an instant later, both eyes widened as she realized her entire body was wreathed in a vibrant red aura that was blazing as bright as a bonfire.

Akane's mouth hung open for a second before breaking into a massive smile. "I… I did it?" she gasped. "I did! I actually did it!" She spun around in Ranma's arms and planted a massive kiss on him, which he was more than happy to accept.

"Ya see? I knew you could do it, you just needed to stop thinkin' about it and _do_ it!" said Ranma proudly. "I gotta admit, though… whatever feeling you focused on musta been damn powerful; that aura ya produced must've been your biggest yet!"

Akane blushed again, though it was hardly noticeable against the light of the aura she was still generating. "Well, let me give you a little hint, Ranma," she giggled before pulling him into another tight embrace. Once more their lips locked together, and this time Ranma's own aura erupted in full force, mixing with hers and bathing the room in an orange-gold light for about a minute.

_This is it,_ thought Akane, not caring whether Ranma heard her thoughts through an Astral Link or not. _This is what I can hold on to; I didn't want and don't have to get angry anymore to tap into ki. All I need is this feeling… I just wish I hadn't fought it for so long; I guess I never knew how strong it was until I stopped denying it!_ She hugged him tighter before reluctantly breaking the kiss and gazing into his eyes. _I love you so much, Ranma…_

_I love you too, Akane… more than you'll ever know._

She had to smirk at that. _We'll see about that, baka,_ she thought to him with a wink.

"Very impressive, Akane." Shingen's voice brought the two out of their reverie; they blinked a few times and slowly let go of one another as the taller man crossed the training floor. "That was quite an aura you managed to manifest, especially considering your lack of training in that area. I'm assuming that this was an emotion-based aura you produced?"

"Um… yeah," said Akane, sporting an awkward look. "Ranma said something a while back about ki feeding into and off of emotional energy, and since I'd felt a lot tougher and stronger when I got angry, well…" She shrugged.

"Yeah, that's how Ryoga gets his Shishi Hokodan to work; he pumps all his depression into his ki and BOOM." Ranma scratched the back of his head. "Same thing with my Moko Takabisha, except I usually use something else…"

"Probably confidence or determination, judging by the look and power of your attacks," Shingen remarked offhand.

"Yeah… how'd you guess that?" Akane asked.

"You're forgetting, I've been in this business for twenty years," Shingen replied. "After watching you fight at least twice, I was able to get a fairly decent read on you and deduce you were using a positive emotion behind your aura techniques." He straightened his bandanna out. "Personally, I think emotion-based ki is a risk, but positive emotion at least doesn't burden your spirit the way negative emotions do."

Akane nodded, remembering how the Shishi Hokodan would drain Ryoga to the point of collapse if he poured too much into it- or how after some of her own rages, she would feel withdrawn or sick, sometimes wanting nothing more than to go to her room and brood. Just then a thought hit her. "Shingen, if you don't mind me asking, I noticed one or two of your moves pack a hell of a punch… what emotion do you use?"

"I don't."

At the sight of their eyes bugging out, he continued. "Every emotion can be countered, one way or another. Anger can be soothed, a happy person made sad. If anything, to me, emotion-based ki attacks are a liability." He paused. "About the only safe one for me is determination, I guess… devotion to the cause, the Code. Anything else, I try to steer away from."

"You mean you don't use any emotion at all?" Ranma asked.

"Most of the time. But it takes years of practice," Shingen replied before stretching his arms out. "We can talk about that some other time; for now, let's move on to the next step." He stepped across the room and took several shinai off a wall rack, then produced two lengths of black cloth from his jacket pocket. "Before we do, though, I want to see you both flare your auras once more."

Ranma nodded, taking a deep breath as an orange-gold aura flowed from his body. Akane took a hesitant breath, let it out- and before she knew it, her own newly crimson aura had flared up again. "Wow… that was so much easier than before," she said.

"See, now that ya know you can do it, you prob'ly won't have to fight to do it anymore," said Ranma with a wink. Akane smiled and nodded.

"Good, now keep sustaining your ki while I prepare the next step," said Shingen. The two of them nodded, taking measured breaths and letting their facial muscles relax. A moment later, they blinked in surprise as Shingen approached them in turn and blindfolded them with the black cloth. Akane's aura flickered slightly as she wondered what was next- and a second later she felt the hilt of a shinai being pressed into her hand.

"Keep reaching out with your aura," came Shingen's voice. "Let it guide you. Let it feel for you." It sounded like he was walking to the far end of the room. There was a clack- another shinai being taken down. Then his footsteps, closer and closer. "For this exercise, your auras will be your eyes, plus any other senses you care. You can't always rely on physical sight in battle- and once you become used to the blindfolds, your ki should take hold of your senses and hone them as sharp as swords. When you've achieved that, with practice you'll be able to take the next step- the art of seeing through illusions via the physical and the Astral at the same time."

Ranma nodded to himself. "Yer talking about that thing you used to see that invisible imp," he said. "Kami no Shisen."

"That's right, my friend. The Eyes of God," Shingen replied. "Now, concentrate and… defend yourselves." The footsteps quickened, the two teens flinched as they felt the rush of air…

--------------------

Shampoo opened her eyes. Sunlight was streaming through her window, prompting her to squint and lift a hand to shade herself. _Did… did I fall asleep?_ she thought as she blinked the last vestiges of drowsiness away. _I was just going to rest for few minutes, then go downstairs again… aiya, great-grandmother will be upset…_

She heaved a sigh and pulled herself into a sitting position, resting her chin on her hand. _I guess Shampoo more tired than thought I was,_ she pondered. _Then again… it not that often an Amazon warrior lose what I did._

_He would have been pride of the tribe- the strongest male around, and could have been mine… he should have been mine. She looked down at the bedspread glumly. But he not want me, and I guess I just not want to see that he no want Shampoo. No fall for my charms, no matter what. Back home, any man would have dropped to feet and begged for such attention… and I… I force it on someone who no want to be forced…_

She wrung her hands slightly and a tear escaped one eye. "Is no good to mope in bed all day," she whispered to herself. "What done, is done. Ranma make choice, earn Right. Not airen any longer… but at very least, maybe a friend…" She trailed off as something next to her bed caught her eye. Turning her head, she noticed she wasn't alone in the room.

Mousse was seated next to the bed, his glasses resting on the night table beside him. His hands were folded on his lap, and his eyes were closed- apparently in meditation, but Shampoo quickly realized that he was asleep when a soft snore escaped him. He was leaning forward slightly, rocking back and forth with each breath he took. For a moment, Shampoo stared at him, wondering how he could be so brazen as to wander into her room, but this thought quickly left her as she realized he wasn't in a position that suggested lewd behavior. In fact, with his glasses off he wouldn't have been able to see her anyway. It was almost like…

"_Xian pu…"_ he mumbled in his native Mandarin, causing her to start a bit. _"Please be well… I know I'm little more than a half-blind fool to you… but if you need anything… I'm right here…"_ His head tilted to one side and he fell back to his own sleep.

Shampoo said nothing, but looked at him long and hard- not the scornful looks she would give him in the café, but really _looking_ at him. Looking at the blind, lovesick duck-boy who paid her all the attention that she had so wanted from Ranma… who had fought Ranma and others numerous times to try and prove himself to her… who had weathered so much abuse from her and still stuck by her side, and who, at one point, had gone so far as to rescue her from Toma's bird-man servant, overcoming injuries that by all counts should have paralyzed him… A rush of emotion she didn't understand welled up in her heart, and she found that she just couldn't stop looking at him.

"He kept watch over you all night long, child. He's a very devoted boy- a few flaws here and there aside."

Shampoo blinked, turning her head towards the voice on the other side of her bed. "Oh… great-grandmother, I no hear you come in!"

Cologne smiled. "I came to see how you were faring after last night," she said, shuffling across the bedspread. "Are you feeling better?"

Shampoo paused for a moment, then nodded. "Shampoo think so… just feel run-down last night, is all." She shook her head slightly and pushed herself out of bed. She stretched once or twice, then cast another look at the still-snoozing Mousse. "Why he stay here all night? Stupid Mousse… he no need do that…" Cologne looked sharply at her, but softened when she saw that she wasn't rebuking him or putting on the airs she normally did. In fact, she almost looked concerned.

"He was worried about you, child," she said. "As was I. He just wanted to make sure you were well."

Shampoo nodded, fingering the warding pendant around her neck absently. "I know, great-grandmother… but still not reason to sleep in chair all night…" She blinked, then shook herself, feigning indifference as she straightened her rumpled clothes. "Anyway, no is important now; is almost time for restaurant to open, yes?"

Cologne bit back a chuckle. "Yes, I suppose we'd best get started," she said, picking up her cane and hopping across the room. "You'd better get yourself cleaned up first, while I go set up in the kitchen. I think we can let the boy sleep a while longer."

Shampoo nodded as the diminutive elder pogoed her way down the stairs. She grabbed a towel and headed to the washroom for a quick shower- pausing for a moment at the door to look at Mousse one last time. She blinked once, then allowed a soft smile to cross her face. _Maybe he not such a stupid boy after all…_ She shrugged, then turned and left the room, leaving the myopic martial artist to his sleep.

As she left the room, she failed to notice something just outside the window.

A gray six-fingered hand gripped the window frame delicately as its owner peered inside, its vibrant green eyes focusing on the purple-haired girl traipsing out the door.

_Hmm… so she bears one of the Master's marks as well,_ the imp thought to itself with a malicious grin. _The boy, too… and both carry the presence of our kind._ Its brow furrowed as its black wings fluttered, keeping it steady against the building. _Our brethren's influence is muted, likely the work of a Hunter dog. Still, an obstacle easily remedied… let us see…_

_One at a time would be more fun, drag it out a bit… and hers is ripe for release, unlike his…_

_Yes. Soon enough, you will become our plaything, girl. The game must run its course._

--------------------

Genma snorted. His eyelids flickered briefly, cracked open, then slowly shut themselves again. He felt like he'd gotten drunk the hard way- suck on the sake bottle's cap while hitting himself on the head with said bottle. A yawn escaped him as he rolled his head from side to side… and at that moment, he remembered what had happened the previous evening.

Eyes, wide open. Teeth, clenched in fear. Hair, would have turned white if he had any left. Bladder- on the verge of emptying.

"I'm a dead man!" he squeaked. "WhatamIgonnado, whatamIgonnado… Gotta go, gotta get out of here until No-chan cools down… IF she cools down… oh gods, why didn't I burn that blasted Neko-ken manual…" He was so caught up in his ranting and panicking that it took him at least a minute to notice some things. One, he was lying on the floor where he had fainted the previous night. Two, the clock was reading 11:15 AM. Three, there was a rather bizarre-looking trinket bound around his ankle, a plastic box of some sort held by nylon straps and a keyed lock. Four, there was a note pinned to his gi. Genma stared at the note for a second then grabbed it off his chest, flipping it open.

_Good morning, Mr. Saotome. If you're reading this, you've just woken up and are probably looking for a way to escape Auntie Nodoka's wrath… which, given the circumstances, is not something to look forward to. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I can't allow you to just scurry off like the old lech Happosai might- at least not until you've also settled things with the rest of us as well. So… allow me to introduce you to the Nabiki Tendo method of settling debts. Unless you decide to stick it out, be a MAN and stay in town until the issue is settled, that handy little gadget on your ankle stays on._

_Don't worry, it's nothing too devious- just a modified 'training collar' I picked up weeks ago at a pet shop; I was planning to use it to keep Shampoo out of the house and minimize the property damage… long story short, I'd advise you not to step outside the dojo unless you happen to like electric shocks._

_Auntie doesn't know about this yet; I just figured I'd help her along a bit, especially considering the bill for dojo repairs and food that you've racked up during your stay with us. I've been tolerant up to a point, but I'm afraid your bill is now overdue- in more ways than one. _

_Seeing as how you've most likely slept through breakfast, I'll see you at lunch. Pleasure doing business with you. -Nabiki_

Genma paled and began to shake. "A SHOCK collar?" he sputtered. "She… she c-cant be serious! That girl wouldn't dare… it's just a bluff, a stupid bluff, that's all it is…" He stared at the box on his ankle and tried to pry it off nervously, but the strap wouldn't budge. He took a few deep breaths, then paused and looked at the device with a more scornful air. "She's just playing a practical joke or something, trying to make me panic…" He nodded to himself vigorously, then scrambled out of the room and up to his bedroom. He quickly grabbed some loose clothes and stuffed them in his backpack, then snuck down the stairs as quietly as possible. "Can't risk the front gate, someone might see me," he mumbled before stepping out onto the back porch and running for the estate wall.

One foot away from the wall, he realized Nabiki wasn't joking.

His first clue being the rather obvious electric shock that ripped through his body, making his eyes bug out and prompting him to dance across the back lawn like a circus clown. This, of course, brought him near another section of estate wall- and thus another section of buried wire- that shocked him again and caused him to flop rather ungracefully into the nearest natural obstacle, which happened to be the koi pond.

"Ah, ah, ah, Mr. Saotome. You ought to know by now that bluff isn't in my dictionary." A smug-looking Nabiki sauntered into the room and made her way unhurriedly to the porch. "And besides, you _know_ Auntie would be _very_ unhappy if you left, so why don't you just stay put and…" She trailed off, her eyes widening and her mouth dropping open as she gazed at the koi pond's occupant. Soun and Kasumi quickly joined her, attracted by the sudden yelp Genma had given out. Kasumi started, one hand flying to her mouth. Soun's eyes were the size of saucers and his jaw had hit the floor.

"Oh, my… I guess all that thrashing about during the Purge _did_ do something," Kasumi whispered.

"Holy moly," Nabiki groaned, shaking her head. "Talk about getting bit by karma."

Soun's jaw re-engaged, but he said nothing; he just closed his eyes and shook his head. _I guess it just didn't want to leave completely, Saotome… and with all that squirming you did, I'm afraid this time you really did bring it on yourself._

A low moan escaped Genma just as he glanced down, noticed that he once again had the body of a panda- slightly charbroiled from the shock collar- and fainted again.

--------------------

"Don't just flail around, Akane, let your aura do the work for you."

"Easy for you to say, Shingen, I've never done this before," Akane growled, lifting her shinai back into a battle stance. "This stupid blindfold itches, too…" She stopped in mid-sentence and backed away two steps as she felt someone move into her personal space. She heard the footsteps and felt a flicker in the air around her, and suddenly brought her shinai up in a high block, then two low blocks. She felt and heard the clack of the incoming weapon as it was deflected twice, but the third strike got through her defense and left a stinging mark on her leg. Akane whistled through her teeth; they'd been at the exercise for several hours and the bruises were beginning to add up.

"It's no good, I still can't do this…" she sighed, her aura wavering.

"Hey, don't talk like that, 'kane," Ranma said from her left. "Ya blocked twice that time, didn't you? Compared to how you were doin' two hours ago I think you're doin' pretty damn well." He stopped talking, and Akane both heard and felt his movement as Shingen darted in and struck four times; from the sound of bamboo impacting and the rush of air, she could tell he'd blocked all four strikes. Akane relaxed slightly, and this time she felt a tingle as his aura brushed against hers.

_Maybe there is something to this,_ she thought. _I can't 'see' anything, but I'm starting to feel things a bit better_… Her attention snapped back into focus as Shingen approached her again; she could tell it was him by the heavier footsteps and the coolness of his aura. _He's coming in for two low attacks, then a high one…_ Her shinai flashed forward, knocking aside the two strikes to her midsection and then swinging up to deflect the head shot. The head shot glanced off her weapon and suddenly she was on the floor, rubbing her shin; he had swung down and tagged her leg at the last second.

"Better, Akane," said Shingen. "Don't stop now, we've still got fifteen more minutes to go." Akane sighed in mock-exasperation and stood up again, tightening her blindfold. "Remember to stretch out with your feelings; let go your conscious self, and act on instinct."

Akane groaned; it wasn't hard to notice the theatrical air he had just put on. "Oh, right… and let's not forget, a Hunter can feel the Force flowing through him," she replied sarcastically, prompting a pair of laughs. "I swear, one more Star Wars joke out of you, Shingen, and I'll clobber you."

"Then go ahead and do it," he said sternly. "This time when I attack, don't just defend; hit me!" Akane felt him moving again, and raised her shinai as the duel resumed.

--------------------

It was mid-afternoon by the time Nabiki finished a few errands and knocked on the door of the Saotome family estate with a highly amused smile on her face. A few moments later, the door opened and Nabiki's smile faltered. Nodoka had a sour look on her face, a combination of regret and indecision with some simmering anger thrown in for good measure. Her face brightened up some, though, when she saw who was at the door.

"Nabiki? I wasn't expecting to see you this afternoon; please, come in."

"Thanks, Auntie," Nabiki replied, kicking off her shoes as she stepped inside. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop in to see how you were doing… plus, there's a few things I thought you might want to know." The two of them made their way to the tearoom and sat down at the table. "You feeling any better?"

Nodoka shook her head. "I'm afraid not, dear. This whole accursed mess is still a little much for me to bear right now… and what's worse, I'm not sure I know what to do about it. I just can't believe the man I married would do something so… so _despicable_ in the name of the Art, and to my own son, no less… I'm not sure I even know who Genma Saotome is anymore, Nabiki." An errant tear escaped her eye. "If only I'd been there, I could have kept that fat fool in line, maybe had a chance to see my boy grow up. But I wasn't… and my son suffered because of it."

Nabiki swallowed hard, noting a look of ice glaze over Nodoka's eyes. "Um… sorry we didn't say anything about it sooner…"

"I'm not blaming you, dear," said Nodoka in a softer tone. "He's the one I'm blaming." A pause, then a long breath. "But… that aside, I just don't know what I should do now. For all the stupid, _stupid_ things he's done, I can't help but wonder if he wasn't corrupted or compelled in some way… that maybe the man he used to be is still somewhere inside." Another pause, then the look of ice reappeared. "On top of which, I'm not sure I want him to take the easy way of restoring what honor the Saotomes have left."

Nabiki blinked. "Does that mean you're not thinking of making him commit Seppuku?"

"I won't deny, the thought did cross my mind… but as much as he's afraid of my sword, I'm afraid it would be too good for him." Nodoka wiped her eyes. "What I want is to teach him a hard and fast lesson… something he won't forget or weasel out of, and maybe something that can repair the stain on our honor." _And perhaps somewhere along the way, he might remember the man he used to be._

Nabiki nodded slowly, quickly sporting a grin like the Cheshire Cat. "Well, Auntie, I think I might be able to help you in that regard; Mr. Saotome owes us a hefty chunk as well, you know." She cracked her knuckles and produced a small black notebook. "I jotted down a little 'let-the-punishment-fit-the-crime' dossier a long time ago- actually, before him and Ranma ever came to town- and I've got a few ideas in here… and because of the circumstances, I'll share them with you for free."

Nodoka quirked an eyebrow at her last words, but nodded and smiled slightly.

"Oh, and in regards to those things I was going to tell you… I think you'll get a kick out of this…"

By the time Nabiki finished relating the details of the shock collar and the fact that Genma was apparently still cursed, Nodoka was actually laughing.

--------------------

Shampoo snapped the kickstand of her bike down and carried an empty delivery box into the Neko Hanten. "Delivery is finished, great-grandmother," she said, wiping a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Is more business yet?"

"No, it's still fairly slow, child," Cologne called back from the kitchen. "We probably won't get that many more orders for a few hours yet, when the dinner crowd comes in." She hopped over to the counter, giving Shampoo a cursory look as she finished straightening her hair. "I hope you haven't been pushing yourself too hard, dear."

"Great-grandmother worry too much," Shampoo replied, rolling her eyes slightly. "Already tell you, was just tired last night. Shampoo feel much better now."

Cologne frowned. "You're not just telling me this so I'll get off your back, are you?"

"Not lie! Shampoo feel just fine." She nodded her head vigorously, but failed to hide a look of regret that passed over her face. "Just fine…"

_That girl… stubborn as ever and won't admit she still has some attachment to the boy._ Cologne nodded slowly. "Very well… if you say so. But if you do start feeling run-down like you were last night, I want you to take it easy, understood?"

"Yes, great-grandmother," Shampoo replied in a slightly petulant tone. Cologne nodded and hopped back into the kitchen. The purple-haired delivery girl folded her arms and crossed to a vacant booth, near the door. She plopped down in the booth and rested her chin on her hands.

_Of course Shampoo not all right,_ she thought as she sulked. _Too, too confused is more like it… so much time spent on one man, then lose man, and then what? Is no fair…_ She let one hand fall on the table and drummed her fingers. _I prettiest and strongest girl in town… but this not good enough for Ranma. I know, I know… his ways different from ours. Shampoo make bad first impression, too, when tried to kill girl-type Ranma. And he not want to be forced into love… he say so… but Shampoo no listen, keep up chase because he so handsome… strong… and because of Law…_

She let out a long sigh. _He now free of law, so what that leave Shampoo? Friendship? Aiya, friend is nice but airen is better… no, must accept it, Ranma is Akane's airen now, not Shampoo's… so why my heart so heavy?_ She blinked once and stared at the tabletop. _And why… why I keep thinking of Mousse all day? What so great about blind boy who… who watch over Shampoo when worn out… or… or fought on floating island to save from bird-man… or…_

She barely noticed a gust of air waft through the open front doors of the Neko Hanten. Nor did she notice the short gray-skinned beast materialize directly behind her, a sneer set on its misshapen face. She only noticed a flicker of movement in her hair, which she brushed off absently, thinking it was a fly.

Then it happened- a sharp pain that stabbed across her eyes for an instant. She gasped and lurched forward, clutching her head in her hands and uttering a low, strangled moan. For a few seconds, her eyes were slammed shut tight as pulses of fire raced across her forehead and down her scalp. There was a clatter as the warding pendant given to her by Shingen dropped to the floor, its cord neatly severed in two.

"Child? Is something wrong out there?"

"N-no, great-grandmother… j-just… leg cramp, is all," Shampoo replied, her voice slowly growing calm as the pain faded away. She took in a deep breath and sat up straight, slowly opening her eyes.

Each iris was shimmering with a blood-red hue, with vertically slitted pupils akin to those of a cat. She blinked once, and a cold smile emerged on her face.

_Ranma is mine. Must find him. Tendo girl is just simple obstacle… and obstacles are for killing._

--------------------

Nobody heard the snickering of the imp just outside the Neko Hanten as it launched itself into the air and disappeared over the rooftops of Nerima. _The game begins anew, my Master._

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Note 7/5/05: I apologize for the length of time it took to crank this out; as it happens, life was not very kind to me recently. Extra-heavy work loads plus a family crisis pushed my writing back considerably; as it is, I may be putting myself on a new timetable. Expect a wait period of 2-3 weeks between installments from now on, it's the only way I can keep my imagination going at a decent clip and still have time to relax a bit.

For those who are curious or don't know, the Battle of Seki ga Hara took place in 1603 and established Ieyasu Tokugawa as shogun of Japan. Outside commerce and trade with other nations was forbidden by said shogunate, and wasn't truly resumed until the Meiji Restoration. And, as one reviewer pointed out last time, the family names of Sagara and Saito belonged to real people in or prior to the Meiji era… perhaps distant relations to our favorite duo? That's up to you.

As for Genma still being stuck with the curse- yes, he flopped around on the casting circle enough to disrupt the Purge, an act which- as has been stated- carries the possible consequence of remaining cursed for life. The demon may be out, but Ranma ½ without the panda just doesn't feel right. Heh.

Dragon Man 180: Taro, Rouge and Kiima may or may not come up in this chronicle. Some of my knowledge of them is fragmented- but if I mentioned much more I'd give the plot away. As for experimenting in the dreamscape with Ranma-chan… no comment.

heart dragon: Glad you loved it, sorry about the delay.

Borg rabbit: What can I say, it's a drama/romance so of course there's gonna be waff. Whether or not Nodoka can awaken any aspect of her blood is yet to be seen. Sorry to hear about your troubles in Houston; take care.

Ezpired doughnuts: Glad you liked the dream; I'd wanted to write that for a while now.

Luna12: In my defense, while Akane did appear to be a bit weepy, she had just relived the Phoenix Mountain ordeal not only from her point of view, but Ranma's as well, and that's something liable to shake even the toughest tomboy- suddenly feeling all the anguish and despair that he had felt, instead of just her own. Still, I'll try to keep it under consideration. Glad you liked the descriptions and the prophecy.

Kayemsi: I felt the confrontation was going to happen at one point or another; Genma couldn't just escape his lies forever, right? Thanks for your support.

Priestess Kohana: Wow. Thank you for your kind words, and again I apologize for the delay in posting.

Ryu-kanjin: Thanks, I try to work fast but life happens.

Lerris: Thank you.

Reader: I appreciate your advice, and while it has been a little clean in parts, I'm working on getting it back to dramatic with a hint of foreboding. Hopefully this chapter has some of each.

Taro MD: I'm honored by your compliment and only hope I'm deserving of it. I try my best with this story and am glad it is appreciated. As for what Nodoka will do now… if she and Nabiki team up, the possibilities are endless…

Fotoguy: I always figured there had to be a decent side of Genma at one point, albeit the influence of the old lech probably ruined it over time. Side-story? Possibly, but I don't see myself writing it. I'm sorry I haven't reviewed your work lately; got up to chapter 16 and it's getting pretty intense. I'll post an actual review in a day or so.

Nuclear death frog: I wasn't aware that the injection of some Japanese here and there was such a big deal; I merely wanted to spice up the dialogue a bit. If it offends, I'll tone it down some.

Misakichi1: Glad you liked it; I always wanted him to get the nerve to actually ask her 'the question', and now he has.

The-shadow002: Thanks, glad you liked the dream sequence. As for the swords, they'll have to wait a little while longer.

Carnath: You were right in your hunch about Genma- but as you noticed, he didn't get far.

Hashiba42: Thank you, I hope you enjoyed this update.

Wonderbee31: Those were points that I felt should have been resolved by the end of the series, but never really were. Our duo needed to patch things up and talk, and the same could be said for Ranma's folks… though it likely won't be as easy for them.

Accan: Glad you liked it.

Mike: Thanks, and I'm sorry if the wait was a bit long. At least I don't update once every 3 months.

Thank you all for your time and reviews. Next chapter: the 'game' resumes as an Amazon goes on the prowl. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	24. Cat Scratch Fever

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I'm merely borrowing them for the time being, and I will be the first to admit I'm NOT an expert on the manga or the anime. Hope you find the latest installment entertaining. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 24: Cat Scratch Fever

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Cologne sat on the kitchen counter, one hand stirring the ramen pot while the other was occupied turning pages in a well-worn and ancient book. Her eyes darted over the pages, pausing once in a while to attend the pot and add another pinch of spice. _It still boggles the mind how something like this could possibly have slipped our records,_ she thought as she perused another page. _So many years of tribal records, preserved over time by word and by the pen… how could we not have thought to look into the cursed springs?_

As she turned the pages of the tribal records, her eyes narrowed the further back she went. Gradually, passages from long, long before her time drew her attention. Writings of elders long dead, from the days when the Amazons had first begun to delve into early tribal magic and enchantments. As she pored over the faded characters, it became clear that at one point the elders _had_ investigated the valley of Jusenkyo, but their findings were apparently less than enlightening. _"…eldritch energies encompassing the valley…" "…spirit power in abundance, seeming to react to those immersed within…" "…it is this humble Elder's view that the spirits of the valley retain the springs for a purpose beyond our grasp…" "…those who submerge, seem to re-emerge in forms reflecting inner nature; possibly, this is a lesson from the gods in disguise…" "…the strain of seeking further insight being too great, it is so decreed…" "…seek not that which tempts to overwhelm; to do so will risk expulsion from the tribe…"_

Cologne stared as she re-read the words. _They were afraid to look any deeper! The ancient Elders, the ones who took our tribe's first tentative steps into the use of magic… they were scared of what they might find, so they just wrote it off and decreed that we let well enough alone?_ She shook her head in amazement, wondering at the same time if this same stubbornness- or was it xenophobia?- had lent itself to other tribal traditions. The Kisses of Death and Marriage certainly seemed to fit the bill of avoidance of that which was different, either by destroying outside influence or engulfing it and molding it to their worldview. For the first time in her many years, Cologne suddenly felt very uneasy about their several-thousand-years-traditions. Taking a moment to stir the ramen, she flipped forward in the book, pausing every once in a while to take note of something that seemed to happen with startling regularity- and which had occurred at least twice in her own lifetime, now that she thought about it. There were records of outsiders appearing every once in a while, reportedly trespassers on tribal grounds who were usually driven off, or- very rarely- captured and executed by sizeable hunting parties. Trespassers of reportedly great strength but who refused to fight them, preaching instead of a need to protect their fellow man… their bodies adorned with occasional tattoos, notably five-pointed stars… up until the last such occurrence, listed in the tribal records from seventy-seven years ago. There was even a rough sketch of such a five-pointed star, set in a circle pattern… exactly like…

"Yamashira's gloves." A gasp escaped her mouth. "Good gods… all those trespassers that were driven off or killed… could they have been Chinese Hunters?"

Just then the sound of footsteps in the restaurant could be heard. "Shampoo, are you feeling okay? I heard you cry out from upstairs, I was afraid you'd hit your head on something." A pause. "Shampoo?"

"Hm? Oh, no worries, Mousse, Shampoo just fine right now."

"Are you sure? Can I get you a glass of water or something?"

"No, no thirsty. But…" Another pause. "There is one thing could do, would be too, too helpful."

"Really? Well, you name it and I'll be happy to do it!" Cologne shook herself out of her reverie and closed the tome of history before shuffling towards the order window. She was about to round the corner and get a clear view when a sudden chill washed over her; her senses, refined leaps and bounds beyond those of the first Amazon Elders, suddenly locked onto a wickedly familiar sensation.

"Uh… Shampoo? What's wrong with your eyes, they look…"

Cologne scampered to the order window just as a bone-jarring WHACK echoed through the Neko Hanten. Shampoo's right leg was thrust straight up, giving the appearance that she was doing a vertical split. Mousse had caught the full force of her heel on his chin and arched backwards through the air, collapsing on his back with more than a few metallic clunks and chinks echoing from his robes. Shampoo looked up slowly, her leg still in the air, and Cologne caught a flash of red scintillating in her eyes, which were set in a cruel sneer.

"You sleep now, stupid Mousse. Shampoo go now; find airen and kill pervert girl Akane once and for all." Her leg snapped down; quicker than the eye could see, she snatched up her bonbori from beneath a booth and sprang towards the door.

"Child! What in the Nine Hells is the matter with you? Get back here this instant!" Cologne shouted, seizing her staff and practically flying across the room- but Shampoo was gone, out of the building and sprinting down the sidewalk at breakneck speed. Cologne swallowed hard as the chilling sensation faded from the room. _She said she was going to… and that feeling, reminiscent of a possessing spirit… good gods, she's succumbed already!_ She spun around and pogoed over to the groaning Mousse, giving him a firm poke in the abdomen with her cane.

"Agh!" Mousse flinched and sat bolt upright, clutching his stomach. "What was that for, you old mummy?" Cologne promptly bonked him on the head with her cane- though compared to the other times she had hit him, it felt like a mild tap.

"This is no time for laying about, boy, Shampoo's in trouble… and we will be, too, if we don't catch her!"

"What are you talking about?" Mousse stammered, sobering at the mention of her name. "Why's she in trouble? And what did I do to make her hit me so hard?"

"It's the curse, Mousse," Cologne replied. "Remember young Yamashira mentioning their ties to demons? It would seem my great-granddaughter has succumbed to hers and is about to do something incredibly rash."

"WHAT?" In the blink of an eye, Mousse was on his feet. "How? When? Why? And what was that about something rash?"

"Calm down, boy; how or why, I can't explain, but if we don't do something and catch her, our truce with Ranma may come to an untimely end- especially if Shampoo manages to do as she promised and kill the Tendo girl!"

Mousse's face froze for a moment, then became a mask of determination. "Which way was she heading?"

"Follow me," Cologne answered, already at the door. Mousse took a half-second to adjust his glasses and the two of them barreled out of the Neko Hanten, the doors slamming shut in the wake of their hasty departure. Turning left, they glimpsed a head of purple hair disappearing down a side street; Cologne shot forward like an arrow with Mousse hot on her heels. Seconds later their roles had switched and suddenly Cologne found herself trailing behind the duck-boy as his feet pounded the pavement with a resolute aura he only displayed when Shampoo was involved.

Cologne concentrated for a moment to try and locate Shampoo's aura, and after a moment was able to briefly focus on it. She was moving quickly, but also with occasional pauses followed by sudden changes in direction. _Why would she be moving in a zig-zag pattern?_ the elder Amazon mused. _Perhaps she's trying to throw us off her trail…_ She shook off her ponderings long enough to grab Mousse's sleeve and redirect him down another main road. He turned on a dime, rounding the corner so fast he nearly collided with a concrete wall. Regaining his balance, he glanced down the road and spotted a head of long, dark hair directly in front of him. His battle instinct kicked in and before Cologne had a chance to stop him, he had bounded forward and seized his quarry in a tight embrace.

"Shampoo, please," he pleaded with the girl in his arms, "don't do this! You're not thinking right, you know this will only cause trouble with Saotome! I won't let you…"

CLANG. "YOU JACKASS! Watch where yer putting those hands of yours next time!" Ukyo screamed, her face flushed and hands tight on the grip of her combat spatula. Mousse lay sprawled on the ground before her, sporting a baseball-sized lump on the top of his head. "And while you're at it, why dontcha take a closer look before you go grabbin' at girls in the street!"

"Oww…"

_I have GOT to do something about that boy's eyes,_ Cologne fumed as she skidded to a halt. "Excuse him, dear, we're under a little bit of stress at the moment and he's not thinking clearly."

"Not seeing clearly is more like it, old crone," Ukyo grumbled under her breath. "So what's got him so fired up anyway? He get jilted by Shampoo again? I just saw her bouncing away from here, she seemed kinda pissed."

"I'm afraid it's worse than that," said Cologne in a hurried tone. "My great-granddaughter is in serious trouble right now; unless we catch her fast Ranma and Akane could be receiving a very unpleasant surprise soon."

Ukyo blanched. "She's going after Ran-chan _again_?" she asked incredulously.

It took less than thirty seconds for Cologne to relate the salient points of what had happened, and once she had done so Ukyo decided she'd made the right decision to leave Konatsu in charge of Ucchan's while she went for a walk. _Guess I better wait a little longer to try an' clear my head,_ she thought to herself as she slung her spatula and helped Mousse back to his feet.

--------------------

"How long do you think Shingen's gonna be cooped up in there?" Akane pondered, flexing her fingers. She was standing on top of a blue plastic barrel in the middle of the open yard behind the warehouse, attempting to focus her aura in the palm of her hand. She fought off a yawn as the tennis ball-sized orb of reddish-orange ki flickered in her grasp; exhaustion was written all over her face, a natural result of the day's relentless training exercises. The blindfold exercise had done its work of sharpening her other senses to a point, but the subsequent exercises of that afternoon- intense calisthenics, a lecture on the basics of the Hunter Code, _another_ dodge exercise with the paintball guns and an hour-long freestyle threeway sparring session- had left her wondering whether she could keep her aura up much longer. _And now that we finally get around to practicing ki attacks, he bolts back inside for some sort of Astral conference call,_ Akane groused, taking a deep breath and letting her ki flow readily, becoming a softball-sized orb in her hand.

"Beats me, Akane," came the reply. "Could be a while if he's talkin' to more than one person like he said he was going to. Geez, all I asked was whether Jusenkyo curse victims normally lost it the way me an' Ryoga did, and he darts off and starts muttering about consultations, somethin' about clan records an' 'unprecedented strength'…"

"Well, we _did_ tell him about the other cursees outside of Nerima, Ranma," said Akane, holding the wavering ball of ki in both hands. "You know… like Taro, or Herb. Remember, we talked about it briefly with him once, right after you got Purged."

"Oh, yeah… I'd kinda forgotten about that." Ranma took a deep breath and resumed what he- or rather, she, for the moment- was doing. Ranma hung upside down by his ankles from an outdoor chin-up bar, in his girl form, doing a form of vertical sit-ups and grunting under the strain of the wrist weights.

"I don't know how you could've forgotten something like that, baka," Akane replied with a smirk. "My guess is he's probably trying to find out if your condition or Ryoga's were special cases; your dad never really seemed to have any problem with his curse after all. And if it's not a special case, then as far as the others go…" She took a deep breath and pushed the ball of ki away from her, towards a cinder block wall erected a few feet from the outer chain link fence. The ball flashed through the air, then dribbled apart as it flattened against the wall; a few blocks got chipped by the burst but not much else. "Dammit! I'm never gonna get this to work…"

"Akane, will ya stop getting down on yourself?" said Ranma-chan as she flipped down from the bar into an upright position and straightened out her red Chinese vest. "That was only the second time you've tried to throw a ki ball, ya know- remember how long it took me to figure it out myself?"

"I thought that since we've been doing those other exercises, maybe…"

"You're pushing yourself too fast again," the redhead admonished. "Just go with the flow, don't think about it so much, okay?" She took a deep breath and walked over to the barrel Akane stood on. "Look… your form so far is good, but you're letting your aura waver right when you let the ball go. You gotta stay with it all the way, otherwise your energy fizzles out."

Akane sighed. "I know… it's just, I've seen you and Ryoga do this sort of thing before, I thought maybe it wouldn't be this big a hassle. Wishful thinking, huh." She shook her arms out and took another deep breath. "So you're saying I need to keep my focus on it all the way until it meets the target."

"Well, that and don't think about it too much. Let your ki- and if need be, an emotion or two- do the work for you. Like this." Ranma-chan's hand snapped up as she quickly produced a baseball-sized orb of orange ki. Flinging her hand forward, she pushed the ball away and upward, sending it to the upper corner of the cinder block wall. The ball smacked a chunk of the upper corner off with a resounding crack.

"See? Keep yer aura steady and your focus tight, an' you shouldn't have much trouble."

Akane nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll give it another shot." She straightened up on the barrel, then blinked and glanced at Ranma again. "Hey… why are you still in your girl's body anyway? You did that right before that sparring session and haven't changed back since."

Ranma shrugged before glowing a bright yellow and shifting back to his normal body. "Eh, just got to thinkin' earlier that I still got a few weaknesses in that form that needed some ironing out. Thought I'd try to build up my strength a bit, in case I gotta use that body for some reason an' still need to pack a punch."

"When would you need to do that?"

"I dunno- but I am a lot faster in that body, and judging how much these damn weights cut me back while I was a girl, I could use a little more balancing out." He tested his arm, flexing the elbow a few times. "Think these things are gettin' heavier again," he muttered before looking back up at Akane. "Okay, are ya just gonna stand there or are ya gonna throw a ki ball?"

"Gimme a second," Akane shot back, trying to look peeved but failing due to the smirk Ranma's facial expression provoked. "Alright… I can do this, I'm gonna do it… focus…" She breathed deeply, slowly bringing her hands up. It took little more than a flicker of concentration to get her aura moving again, something she was still amazed at. Only one week ago she hadn't thought of progressing anywhere near Ranma's level of mastery, yet here she was, manifesting her aura under her own will while at the same time becoming physically faster and tougher than she'd ever been before. Her elation at that simple fact spread through her body like wildfire, with the end result that seconds later, she was blinking in surprise at the now basketball-sized orb of reddish ki between her palms.

"That's it, Acchan, you're doin' fantastic… now keep concentrating and give that ball a good shove, NOW!"

"HIYAA!" Akane's hands shot forward, allowing the ki ball to rocket towards the cinder blocks almost twice as fast as her previous attempt. The sudden rush of energy through her arms was almost enough to fry a few synapses, mainly because of the sheer surprise of it all. Her balance faltered and Akane very nearly fell off the barrel just as the ki blast impacted the wall, crushing its way halfway into the blocks before her surprise caused her to lose focus and the ball dispersed.

Akane righted herself, blinked, and looked at the dent she had made in the wall. "Looks like I got a little ways to go still," she said with a shrug, then beamed. "But I did it."

"Damn straight you did!" Ranma replied, pride etched into every corner on his face. "I toldja you had potential, didn't I? C'mon, give it another shot before Shingen gets back."

"Another shot?"

"Yeah, practice makes perfect, remember? Now that you've done it once, ya oughta be able to do it better the second time!"

"Okay, if you say so," said Akane with a giggle. She took another breath and raised her hands yet again. _Hmm… now that I think about it, Ranma's right, these weights do feel like they're getting heavier again…_ She shook her head and brought her mind back to the ki exercise. Her aura began to flow again, coalescing between her hands as she focused, grinning, on the cinder blocks before her…

Just as she was about to let loose another battle cry and release a new blast, something flashed on the periphery of her senses. A shadow of sorts, just beyond the chain link fence around the warehouse, moving incredibly fast and reeking of anger and malice. _What… what is that? I can feel… it's going to…_

Ranma's eyes narrowed. "Akane, get down, something's about to…"

A violent screech of ripping metal tore at her ears and Ranma's a mere half-second before the cinder block pile exploded in a hailstorm of dust and debris. Akane yelped, losing the ki orb as she jumped off the barrel and brought her hands up to shield her eyes; out of the corner of one eye she saw Ranma doing the same. A rush of air brought the dust cloud into their faces, causing them both to choke and gag for a few scant seconds before the cloud dissipated and a shadow could be seen standing before them. Akane wiped at her eyes furiously, then froze stock-still on top of the barrel. The shadowed figure was still partially obscured by dust, but several factors suddenly became abundantly clear. The figure's stance, height and the distinctive heft and shape of the weapons in either hand, combined with the light crunch of the figure's feet stepping slowly but nimbly towards them, told Akane all too well who it was.

"Time to end this, Akane. You die now!"

The fiery Amazon took her time advancing through the dust cloud, her violet hair whipping about her head, bonboris held loosely by her sides. A cruel smirk curved the corner of her mouth upwards as her eyes flared a deep crimson. Ranma's initial reaction to her arrival was shock, followed quickly by outrage and unbridled fury as her words impacted his ears. _Dammit, I warned her! I told her what was what, and now THIS!_ His hands balled into fists and he might very well have broken his self-imposed vow not to hit girls right then and there, when he felt Akane's hand grip his left wrist and give it a firm squeeze. He flinched for a second- then blinked and stared at Shampoo's eyes.

"What the…" was all he could say before another sensation hit him. As Shampoo took another step forward, he didn't just see her aura, he _felt_ it… and the inherent difference that was pulsing through it every second. It wasn't hard for him to notice her distinctive lack of a warding pendant, either. "Oh geez… this doesn't feel right."

"You feel it too, huh," said Akane in a low voice. "I know, I've never felt her give off anything like that, not even in some of our worst fights." She swallowed hard. "I don't get it, I thought she'd been warded against this…"

"Warded nothin', I don't see any damn ward pendant on her neck!" Ranma muttered, shaking his head. "This is just what we needed- one outta control cursed Amazon on a rampage. I think we'd better…"

"You drop Ranma's hand NOW!" Shampoo snarled, swinging her bonbori downward in a wide arc and prompting them to jump apart in opposite directions. Shampoo rounded on Akane, eyes blazing. "You ruin Shampoo's dream for last time, pervert girl! Now I do what should have done long ago, then take airen back to China!" She crouched for a split second, then lunged forward, swinging and thrusting each bonbori at Akane's head, chest or limbs. "No more games! Run all over town to find Akane, now you do self quick favor and DIE!" She continued her relentless assault, barely noticing through her rage that Akane was bobbing and weaving around her attacks with some semblance of ease, pausing only long enough to pry something off her wrists and ankles. The training weights landed on the ground with a loud thunk, but failed to draw the irate Amazon's attention. Gritting her teeth, she swiped with the right-hand weapon, jabbed with the left and followed with a reverse roundhouse kick, none of which connected; following the motion of the kick, she whipped her right hand out in a backhand strike… and gasped in surprise as Akane stepped in and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a close grapple.

"Shampoo, I know you're not thinking straight right now," Akane said in a low, deathly serious tone. "You're letting something else rule you, and once you shake it off you're going to regret what you just said… or maybe not, I don't know and don't really care. But I will tell you this much- if you think I'm gonna just let you walk all over me, curse or no curse, you got another thing coming, sister." She glanced up, noting Ranma was already in a ready position, and subtly sent a single thought in his direction. _Let me handle this for now, Ranma… I need to know if I'm ready for something like this._

"Shampoo think YOU got other thing coming, 'sister'!" Her left hand flashed upwards; Akane's grip faltered slightly as she leaned back to avoid the incoming weapon, allowing Shampoo to break the grapple and backflip two yards away. Akane spun to face her, falling into a looser stance than she normally did, closely duplicating one of Ranma's ready stances. A few seconds passed before, at a hidden signal, the two sprang forward again, trading punches, kicks and weapon swings at blinding speed. Akane blocked one kick and dodged a bonbori swing, countering with two quick jabs, a roundhouse kick and a spinning backfist, all of which came dangerously close to the crazed Amazon. Six bonbori strikes followed in rapid succession, with only one strike coming close to doing any damage when it grazed Akane's left thigh. Akane promptly knocked both weapons away from her face, feinted twice- up, then low- and slammed her shin into Shampoo's left side. Both warriors sprang apart again, catching their breath, and Akane was struck by a sudden thought… as fast as Shampoo was, or had been in their previous fights, it felt almost like she was moving slower than usual. Even her breaking the grapple had seemed slow, so slow Akane realized she could have stopped it if she had wanted to… and then it hit her.

_She isn't moving slower, I'm getting faster… and I can almost see her movements before they even happen!_ Akane's eyes widened. _Good gods, I really AM getting better!_

"So… pervert kitchen wrecker… been working out," Shampoo gasped. "Means nothing! Just take longer to finish!" She pulled her arms back in preparation to lunge… then froze as something unexpected happened. That something being several lengths of steel chain shooting through the air and snaking around her wrists and elbows, effectively putting her on a 'leash' and causing her to drop her weapons. She yanked her left arm forward, but the chain had very little slack and she did little more than create a petulant rattle.

"I'm sorry, my love, but I can't let you do this… not when you're not in control of yourself!" Shampoo's head snapped around, catching a glimpse of an exhausted Mousse directly behind her, the ends of the chains in his hands. "Please, listen to reason… you don't really want to do this! There's no reason for it anymore, you know that! It's just something else telling you something you want to hear! I'm begging you… please, calm down. I just want to help you, Shampoo…"

"You want help Shampoo? Then GET OUT OF WAY, STUPID MOUSSE!" With a feline growl, Shampoo twisted her body around, snared the chains on her arms in a modified grip and yanked as hard as she could. A sudden wave of energy flared up in her eyes and before he knew it, Mousse found himself being yanked headlong across the back lot in a wide arc. She would have flung him in a circle had his head not connected violently with a nearby door- the steel door which led back into the warehouse weight training area- and knocked it open so hard it nearly came off its hinges.

"Now… where Shampoo at again? Oh yes, finishing off Akane." Quick as a wink, she retrieved her weapons and sprinted back towards Akane- but stopped dead in her tracks as another interruption occurred in the form of five throwing spatulas impacting the ground directly between them.

"Sorry, sugar, but I gotta agree with the blind boy over there- even if I don't get half of what's going on. Nobody's killin' anyone today!" Shampoo's eyes widened and she spun around just in time to lock weapons with an extremely pissed okonomiyaki chef.

Ranma blinked, startled. "Ukyo! What the hell are you and Mousse doing here? Get back; she's too damn dangerous the way she is!"

"Just call this another part of my apology, Ran-chan!" Ukyo shot back, slamming Shampoo's left-hand weapon away with her combat spatula. "I heard what happened from the old crone an' I'm not about to let this moron wreck things for ya!" She bit back a tear and circled the Amazon, trading several blows in succession. _Talk about karma comin' back to bite ya… I spend all my time tryin' to split Ran-chan and Akane up, now I'm fighting to keep this bimbo from doin' the same damn thing…_

"So spatula girl want play too, eh?" Shampoo growled. "Fine, then we play!" Abruptly she dropped her remaining bonbori and swung forward with a massive backhand swipe; Ukyo moved to block and shuddered as Shampoo's hand impacted the head of the combat spatula. The Amazon backflipped away… and everybody else stared as the spatula fell apart in pieces, the metal gouged and burned as though seared by a cutting torch.

Ranma stared at Shampoo long and hard. _Not a cutting torch. Claws… ki claws._

"WHADJA DO THAT FOR? YOU BITCH, THAT WAS MY BEST SPATULA!"

"Oh? Maybe Ukyo prefer I rip something else… like throat?" Shampoo flexed her hand menacingly- and a second later gasped and stared, bug-eyed, as the arms of her original target locked around her waist and squeezed so hard that there was NO wiggle room, no avenue of escape. Panic crossed her face and she struggled, but to no avail. She felt a sudden surge of power, felt her feet leave the ground as Akane pulled her into a perfect German suplex, slamming Shampoo's head and shoulders onto the cold earth just beyond. Akane flipped back into a standing position, then blinked at the sight before her; she had flung Shampoo so hard that her head and upper body left a perfect indentation in the ground.

"Damn… guess I did that harder than I thought…"

"Man oh man, I knew you were getting better, Akane, but I didn't think you'd knock her out that easily!" Ranma murmured, scratching his head. "Guess we can step your training up a notch or two, tomboy."

"We can worry about that later, baka," Akane replied with a giggle. "Let's just get her inside and see if we can't…"

"THIS NOT FINISHED YET!"

Shampoo's head snapped up, glaring at the teens before her. She pulled her legs back and kicked up to her feet, then shot her hands forward with blinding speed and grabbed the top of Akane's gi. "Now not hold back any longer! YOU DIE!"

Seconds later the two girls crashed through the open door, violently trading punches as they skirted around the handweights and the PVC balance poles. Shampoo's fists were becoming a near blur, pushing Akane's blocking and dodging to its limit; for every punch Akane threw at her attacker, two more came back at her. On the edge of her senses she could just make out Ranma following them, with Ukyo not far behind; Mousse was only just beginning to come to his senses. The punches kept coming, accompanied by growls of frustration, and all at once Akane saw a shift in her style. Shampoo's attacks were getting stronger, but far more chaotic and unfocused. It was getting far easier to dodge the incoming fists, and Ranma's third lesson popped into her mind- _'lose your cool and you lose the fight.'_

Shingen, who had been kneeling on the rune circle on the sparring floor in the midst of an Astral Link, was already on his feet and staring. "What the hell is going on here?" he bellowed before narrowing his eyes and shifting his perception, focusing on Shampoo.

"Curse gone haywire, that's what's going on here!" Ranma replied just as Shampoo tried a sweep kick at Akane's feet, which Akane avoided at the last second.

Shingen sucked in a breath through his teeth, his eyes turning cold and severe. "Geez, no kidding haywire, she's spiking worse than Hibiki was. What in the blue blazes happened to her warding pendant?"

"Don't look at me, man! All I know is she's hell bent on smashin' Akane's face in right now!"

"Looks like she's not succeeding very much," Shingen remarked as Shampoo tried to claw at Akane's face. A slight lapse in defense allowed her hand to pass dangerously close to Akane, scoring two shallow gashes across her left cheek. Akane flinched, then reached up just in time to counter the second attack, grabbing Shampoo by the wrist and flinging her into a nearby wall. The impact knocked the wind out of the Amazon and a few wooden swords off the wall racks.

Akane backed up, wiping the blood off her face with the back of her wrist, then blinked as she felt a voice in her mind.

_Finish this fast, Akane,_ Shingen said through the Link. _That girl's aura is spiking worse than any I've seen yet; you've got to either calm her down or knock her out while I get the ward ready!_

_I think calming her down's pretty much out,_ she thought back at him before directing her attention back to the fight. Shampoo scrambled to her feet and seized up two bokkens that had fallen beside her, then charged back into the fray swinging the weapons like a human buzzsaw. Under past circumstances, such an action would have made Akane back away, but having faced Shingen under the same conditions the previous evening, all it did was make her smirk. Flicking her hand behind her, she was about to snag her preferred weapon, then paused, deciding to forego the mallet this time around.

"Sorry, Shampoo, but it's time to end this right now!" Yanking an identical bokken out of thin air, Akane sprang directly into Shampoo's line of attack. The Amazon blinked in shock- then gasped as Akane struck at her right-hand sword just above her knuckles, following through without once letting the bokken recoil or raise up, the end result being Shampoo's bokken snapped in half. For a brief second the redness left her eyes and her face contorted in panic, causing her to stumble and drop the other sword. Akane tossed her own sword to the side as she stepped further in, a sudden flash of inspiration crossing her face.

_Time to put some of this ki training to the test- I just hope to Kami this works!_ "RYOUKO TSUME KEN!" Akane shouted as her fists suddenly became engulfed in blazing red ki. Her left fist caught Shampoo in the gut as she was falling forward, knocking what air was left in her lungs out of her. Shampoo lurched forward, eyes wide, just in time to be caught by Akane's right fist swinging up and striking her in the gut, sternum and chin all in one fluid motion. The sudden outpouring of ki from her knuckles flashed through the air and literally tore her Chinese blouse to shreds as she flew backwards, collapsing face up on the wooden floor.

Ukyo's jaw was practically at her feet. "What the… when did that girl get so… GOOD?"

Ranma shot her a quick smirk. "That's what a little training'll do; I always knew she had it in her!" He gave Ukyo a shrug and jogged across the floor to join Akane. "That was incredible, Acchan! You see what I told you about… potential…" He slowed down and came to an awkward stop, noticing a major flush on Akane's face, and something he suddenly wished he hadn't noticed. Shampoo's blouse was little more than ribbons because of Akane's improvised attack- and she wasn't wearing a bra, either.

His eyes widened a second before slamming shut and flinching. "Oh… oh geez, oh man, I… I wasn't tryin' to look, I mean it, I didn't think you'd… or that she'd… I…"

Akane shook herself out of it and bopped him lightly. "I know you weren't trying to look, baka, I wasn't either… guess I hit harder than I thought I did," she blurted out, embarrassed. "Come on, we better help get her ready, and fast… just, uh, keep your eyes shut, got it?"

"I got it, I got it! I toldja I wasn't tryin' to look, you're the one that ripped her clothes up!"

"Would you both shut up?" came a third voice, near where Shampoo was lying. Akane and Ranma both blinked and glanced over; Mousse had roused himself and limped over to her, sporting a baseball-sized lump on his head. He reached into his sleeve and deftly produced a bolt of blue cloth, then kneeled by her side and gently lifted her up. A flick of the wrist and the cloth was wrapped around her breasts and her rapidly bruising stomach; Mousse knotted it loosely in a few places, ensuring it wasn't too tight yet still preserved some modesty. "It's okay, my dear one," he was whispering to her. "Everything's going to be alright."

Akane swallowed hard. "Mousse, I didn't really want to hurt her, but…"

"I know, I know," he replied in a soft voice. "But it wasn't really her inside, after all… she wasn't in control. Couldn't tame the beast, and if you hadn't, who knows what could have happened." He brushed a few stray hairs out of her eyes; Shampoo moaned and stirred in his arms. "Sometimes… to help someone, I suppose it becomes necessary to hurt them. That doesn't make it any less painful, I know… but what must be done, must be done."

"Well put, boy," muttered Cologne, appearing at Shampoo's side almost out of nowhere and placing a gnarled claw to the girl's head. "Hmm. It would appear her aura has calmed somewhat; I think we'd best see if we can treat her in a more permanent fashion."

"Hey, when did you get here, ol' ghoul… I mean, Cologne?" Ranma asked, surprised.

"I was right behind the others, lad," she replied. "I would have stepped in, had this fight taken a turn for the worse… but I could feel your auras just as I arrived and had to see for myself just how far you had progressed." She eyed Akane appreciatively. "It would seem you, young lady, are more full of surprises than I expected. You'd make a fine tribal sister, I dare say!"

Akane flushed slightly. "I- I just got lucky, that's all…"

"Luck nothing, I toldja again and again you had potential and I was right, wasn't I?" said Ranma, giving her hand a quick squeeze. Ukyo noticed the squeeze and looked away, a hint of regret in her eyes that it wasn't _her_ on the receiving end of that squeeze. She took a deep breath and shook it off after a second, reminding herself that what was done was done, and at the very least her friendship with them was still intact.

Shampoo stirred, then gasped, crying out in pain and holding the sides of her head. Mousse pulled her close, running a hand over her temple and biting his lower lip, hoping she wasn't going to go berserk again. After a few seconds, though, she opened her eyes and everyone present was relieved to see a complete lack of crimson in her irises. She looked up at the bespectacled man holding her, and a single tear ran down her cheek.

"Mousse…" she whispered.

"Yes? I'm right here, what's wrong?"

"…Help me…" she managed to get out before groaning in pain once more; she started to thrash about in his arms and would have broken his grip were it not for Cologne, who shuffled to Shampoo's head and touched a point on the side of her head. Immediately her limbs relaxed and she fell into a deep sleep.

"We haven't got much time; get her over here to the ward circle," Shingen said in an authoritative voice. "I've got one ward primed and ready to go; I just hope it's had a chance to dry enough." He grabbed a piece of parchment off the table and snatched up his naginata from where it rested nearby. Ranma and the others nodded and quickly brought the limp Shampoo over to the runic circle etched into the wood floor.

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Ukyo shook her head in disbelief. _Talk about your weird afternoons… definitely not what I was expecting_, she thought as she tightened her grip on Shampoo's right wrist. _Just decided to go for a walk and wind up smack in the middle of an exorcism… Akane's skills going through the roof, and on top of that I run into this Shingen guy again…_ Shampoo's arm flailed and Ukyo strained to hold her down as blue-white ki blazed around her body. Through the haze she could just make out Akane pinning Shampoo's feet down while Ranma had her left wrist clamped in place. She glanced over at Shingen who was nearing the end of his incantations, and was surprised to find herself flush ever so slightly. _That's right… he saved me and Konatsu the other day… and I don't think I even thanked him properly…_

"_TSUIHOU!_" Shingen hollered at the top of his lungs, breaking her train of thought… and if the shout didn't get her attention, what happened next did. Shampoo screamed like a banshee as the ki cyclone erupted from the ward plastered across her bare chest, pulling and thrashing harder than she had previously. Ukyo gritted her teeth, as did Ranma and Akane as they strained to hold her down, until finally a glowing violet mass wrenched free of Shampoo's body and careened across the length of the warehouse, rebounding off the far wall and the rafters before skidding back across the sparring floor. Shampoo twitched once, exhaled a long, sobbing breath, and fell unconscious.

"Great Kami… now I think I've seen everything…" Ukyo breathed.

"We're not done yet," Ranma muttered, grabbing the nearby blue cloth and throwing it over Shampoo.

"Is she going to be alright?" Mousse asked frantically, sprinting over to the others followed by Cologne; she had pulled him off to the side, near the bunk room, per Shingen's instructions to prevent his curse from interacting with the Purge circle.

"We'll find out soon enough; just get her over to a safe area and make sure she doesn't get hurt," Shingen replied.

"Hurt? Hurt by what?"

"I think you'll find out soon enough, Ukyo," said Akane in an unsteady voice, her eyes locked on the scintillating figure emerging from the violet miasma on the floor. It was rapidly becoming far less blob-like, taking on a humanoid form and pulling up into a standing position. White sparks suddenly leaped from it, prompting a quick flinch from those looking at it. Shingen's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing the veil that was dissipating from the creature.

Then it did something that made Akane's and Cologne's eyes widen, and caused Ranma to freeze up in shock. It meowed.

A low, seductive but ultimately menacing meow. Ranma's pupils shrank in fear as age-old nightmares started rearing up in his head; he clenched his teeth and balled his hands into fists so tight that he almost began to bleed from his palms. _No… can't lose it, not here, get a hold of yourself you idiot, it's not one of those, it's a demon, not a c-c-ca… not one of those, NOT one of those, can't lose it…_ Over and over he chanted to himself, not noticing the rivers of sweat beginning to run down his temples. Akane, however, saw it immediately and quickstepped over to him, grabbing one of his wrists and telling him to calm down. Then all at once, there was a bright flash- and the figure before them was revealed.

Ranma blinked, his eyes dilating slightly as a fraction of his fear faded. "Wha… what the… what is…" _No… it's not a cat… but… something LIKE a cat…_

Shingen let out a sigh and glared at the new arrival. "Lovely. A yamaneko."

It, she, whatever it was, stood seven feet tall, with white-furred skin bearing prominent violet tiger stripes and features that seemed to combine humanoid and feline into a form that was unmistakably intimidating… but incredibly alluring. Her features were sharp and angular, almost elfin, with two distinct cat ears set on either side of her head, which was covered with a short-cropped mane of dark purple hair. Red cat's eyes gazed back at the group of people before her, and her lithe arms brushed limply over a pale pink Chinese warrior's dress that was slightly more indecent than some of Shampoo's clothes. Indeed, the dress appeared to be a size too small for the demon, causing it to stretch suggestively over the cat-woman's athletic and quite voluptuous figure.

Akane blinked, turning her attention back to the others slightly. "Yamaneko? What's that supposed to be?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"A distant cousin to the raiju, or lightning spirit," Shingen replied grimly. "It's just what its name suggests- a wildcat. Not a tactician, but fast, proud, covetous and incredibly reckless." He swung his naginata off the floor and over his shoulder. "They also have a tendency towards narcissism- one of the vainest demons around."

The cat-woman raised an eyebrow at the lot of them, then raised her right arm ever so slowly. A cruel sneer that looked very familiar crossed her lips as she pointed a clawed finger in Akane's direction.

"**_Time for you to die, Huntress. You'll pay for bruising my host._**"

The demon's form blurred as she launched herself across the floor, clawed hands flashing in a downward strike that Akane just barely managed to avoid. The force of the attack smashed a section of the training floor to splinters as the demon gouged several half-inch furrows into the wood. Ranma snapped out of his combination of fear and surprise, one thought settling first and foremost in his mind. _This is no time to lose focus; whatever the hell this creep is, I'm not gonna let it get anybody!_

A second later, the room exploded in a flurry of motion. The demon's claws screeched through the air as she tried to turn Akane into ramen noodles on the spot; Akane countered by dodging and tumbling to the other side of the room and circling back around again. Shingen burst forward and slashed at the yamaneko's legs several times, each time impacting against her claws instead and showering the floor with sparks. Suddenly the demon blurred and seemed to kick into a higher gear, rounding on Shingen and blazing into him with dozens of claw strikes and a kick attack; Shingen's left fist shot up and produced a blue ki shield to ward off the claws while he parried the kick with the staff section of his weapon. Sensing an opening, Akane darted forward and was practically on top of the cat-woman when all at once, the demon turned her head around and glared directly at her. The red eyes flashed and twin beams of crimson light burst forth, breaking Akane's stride and tearing two wicked furrows across her left shoulder. Akane stumbled and fell to one knee, clutching at the burned flesh and gasping in pain.

The demon snickered and swung back towards Shingen, one claw moving fast enough to just break his defense and open-palm smash him across the face. He staggered back a few steps, and the cat-woman began to advance… but was suddenly cut off by the outraged scream of a certain pig-tailed martial artist whose anger was now overriding part of his fear. She blinked and turned in the direction of the scream, just in time to feel the impact of Ranma's foot across the bridge of her nose. "Think it's funny, do ya? Hurtin' Akane like that?" he snapped, flipping over the demon and landing behind her. "Well, why dontcha see how funny THIS is!" A quick step and his hands barreled into the small of her back, striking the base of the demon's spine over and over courtesy of the Amaguriken. The force of the impact threw her halfway to the nearest wall as Ranma turned to his fiancée. "Akane, you okay?"

"I'll manage," she replied, jumping to her feet and cracking her knuckles. "That thing just caught me by surprise, that's all… fast, too."

"Yeah, well she may be fast," Ranma said as he quickly yanked his own training weights off; they hit the floor with a sound akin to a bowling ball being dropped. "But I'm faster." _Just gotta remember this ain't a cat, it's a demon that kinda looks like a cat, it's not a cat… NOT a cat…_ He took a deep breath and nodded to Akane. "Pincer attack, NOW!" Akane nodded and the two of them sprang forward on a prearranged count, something else they'd devised in their earlier sparring session. Just as the demon struggled to its feet, the two of them split apart in opposite directions, swung out, then back in again and began pummeling the cat-woman from either side with a frenetic series of punches, kicks and spinning backfists. The demon's clawed hands flew into a frenzy, blocking and deflecting as fast as possible, but with the training weights removed Ranma's fists had suddenly jumped to near-supersonic speeds. The crack of fist on flesh and bone echoed through the training hall for what seemed like a full minute; at one point the cat-woman staggered and began to fall forward because of two perfectly timed heel kicks to the back of her knees, one kick from each of her attackers. She howled in desperation and glared at both her opponents, her face suddenly becoming much more angular and cat-like as fire blazed in her eyes.

That was what suddenly turned the fight in her favor as Ranma caught sight of the fully feline face and froze in shock. His fists ground to a halt and he began to shake- and a second later, found himself sprawled across the training floor as the cat-woman applied her own version of the Amaguriken to his solar plexus.

"Ranma!" Akane gasped, eyes wide as Ranma crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath. Her own rapid-fire pace faltered just as the cat-woman twirled around to face her again, her face once again elfin. The demon promptly reached in and grabbed Akane's right wrist, then pulled upwards, yanking her off the ground and into the air in an attempt to throw her to the floor. Akane twisted in mid-air and just barely managed to plant her feet, but staggered on the landing and looked up just in time to see a lightning-fast fist headed for her face. She instinctively threw her arms in front of her in an X formation, desperately trying to channel her aura into her arms just as the demon slammed into her- and punched her in the gut instead. The impact sent her skidding across the floor, clutching her stomach in agony.

The cat-woman straightened up and laughed- a perverse, purring laughter. **_"This is all you have to offer?"_** she chortled… and then gasped as a metallic object imbedded itself in her left shoulder. Her red eyes widened and she spun around just as Shingen unleashed a fusillade of over a dozen runic throwing knives from less than two yards away. At least seven darts caught the demon in the chest and abdomen, knocking her backwards and prompting her to screech and knock the darts away like unwanted fleas.

"Forget about somebody?" Shingen asked humorlessly, twirling his naginata. "This dance isn't finished yet, demon!" The cat-woman snarled and leaped towards him just as he did likewise, spinning his weapon above his head like a helicopter blade. Claw began to clash against blade as the two danced across the floor, each one trying to get the upper hand. Shingen spun his weapon in tight arcs, his eyes narrowed on her defenses, while all the while the cat-woman bobbed and weaved in circles around him, striking so fast that even Cologne, who was tending to a still-unconscious Shampoo, was having a hard time tracking the strikes. As time wore on, Shingen began to scowl; he was keeping her attacks from hitting but couldn't actually hit her himself.

"**_You're looking a tad vexed, Hunter,"_** the she-beast sneered. **_"Can't bring yourself to hit a beauty such as me?"_**

"Bite me, demon," Shingen shot back, thrusting forward suddenly and locking up with her claws. The two struggled briefly, then sprang apart again. Not far away, Akane slowly rolled to her knees, still holding her stomach and coughing. Ranma was in much the same condition, but shaking as well.

"**_That can be arranged,"_** she replied with a giggle, licking one of her clawed fingers suggestively. She crouched as if preparing to lunge, when suddenly a rattle of metal echoed through the air and no less than six lengths of chain flashed around the demon, wrapping around her elbows and knees before pulling taut. She stared and swung her head around at the same moment that Shingen got a good look at the responsible party and Akane staggered to her feet.

"You're making a lot of trouble, running around like that," said Mousse with ice in his voice. "And when you have an animal that's misbehaving, you need to rein it in!"

"Mousse, have you gone crazy?" Shingen shouted. "Don't interfere! You're just going to make it worse if you try and fight!"

"This is my fight too, I'll have you know!" Mousse shot back. "Maybe I don't know the things you do, and maybe I'm not as good a fighter as some, but what kind of a man would I be if I just sat off on the sidelines and did nothing? This… this THING tried to use the girl I love, and I'm not going to let her get away with it!"

The demon gave the chains a good swift yank; Mousse dug his heels in and skidded a few inches forward, but refused to let up the slack. The cat-woman yanked again to no effect; Shingen shook his head and pulled his weapon back in preparation for an overhead strike. Just then, she leveled her eyes at Mousse and smiled cruelly- and then unleashed the crimson eyebeams once again. Mousse's head snapped back as he caught the full force of the beams with his glasses, which promptly cracked and fell off his nose as he toppled backward, losing his grip on his chains and clutching his face.

"**_Heh. So much for the blind fool,"_** the cat-woman purred before swinging her right hand in a wide arc, countering Shingen's strikes once more. She began to strike back, but before she could work herself up into a frenzy she felt another stabbing pain in her back. And another… and another. She wheeled around just in time to see a certain brown-haired chef unleash another flurry of her own throwing weapons, half of which cut into the demon's flesh before her claws stopped the rest.

"Don't count me out either, sugar," said Ukyo in a shaky voice. "Hell if I know what this is all about, but if I let you guys do all the work… well… hell, these are my friends, too; I gotta do something!" She reached for her primary weapon- then blinked and went wide-eyed as she remembered it had just recently been ripped to bits by Shampoo. "Uh… uh-oh." She scrambled frantically for another throwing spatula, just as the cat-woman growled and pulled back both arms in preparation for… something. _Oh geez… I am so freakin' screwed it's not even funny…_ Ukyo's eyes widened even more so as violet ki began gathering in the demon's hands.

Shingen gritted his teeth and sprang forward just as the cat-woman shoved the orb forward. _This is insane… that girl's got guts, I'll say that much, but if any more outsiders get hurt because of this… dammit, I can't even use my real trump card attacks with them around!_ He shook off his line of thought and executed a diving roll, landing right in front of Ukyo just as the energy blast was about to strike. "MAKOTO TOKU!" His right fist shot forward and a massive golden ki shield blazed into existence, buckling slightly but holding against the impact of the purple orb that exploded millimeters away from his fingertips.

Ukyo had flinched away, but as the energy dispersed on either side around her, she tentatively relaxed and cracked her eyes open.

"Are you okay?" the taller man in front of her asked in a clipped tone.

"Uh… yeah… yeah, I think so…" _That's two times this Shingen guy's saved my ass now…_

"Then get down and keep out of the line of fire," Shingen finished, lowering his hand and charging back into the fray, swinging his naginata. Ukyo blinked, then did exactly that, scrambling towards the table and knocking something off it as she pressed herself back into a corner. The something she knocked- a particular black plastic weapon case- hit the floor and its lid snapped open, very nearly throwing the two clan swords within onto the floor.

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_Ranma? Are you alright?_

Ranma was still on his knees, breathing slowly as he tried to flush the pain from his system- the pain in his gut, and the mental mallet he was whacking himself with. He blinked once as he felt the Link open between him and Akane, and took a moment to reach back to her through it. He could feel pain that mirrored his own, but more than that, he felt a sort of panicked concern.

_I'll live, Acchan,_ he thought to her with a quick glance in her direction; he could see her wobbling as she stood up. _What about you?_

_I've had worse… what are we gonna do about this?_ The two of them winced as an ear-splitting crash echoed through the room; the demon's claws impacting Shingen's blade had a slightly less appealing sound than, say, nails on a chalkboard. _Can you still fight?_

Ranma swallowed hard, visions of the demon's fully neko face coming back to haunt him. _I'm sorry, Akane… I didn't mean to lose it like that, that face of hers just… just… gods, I'm pathetic, can't even look at a friggin' cat without getting… can't even… can't… look… hey, wait a minute…_

Ranma's eyes widened and he glanced up at the demon, who was currently twirling like a top, delivering multiple roundhouse kicks to Shingen's weapon, but failing to knock it out of his hands.

Akane blinked. _Ranma… are you thinking what I think you're thinking?_

He looked back and shot her one of his cockiest grins ever. _Just remembering part of today's training; I'm gonna need your help on this, Akane. Ya trust me?_

She paused for a moment, then nodded. _You know I do!_

_Then let's put this bitch to sleep!_ Ranma jumped to his feet, pain washing out of his system as his aura flared about him like a bonfire- and then he did something that most people would find incredibly stupid. Digging a hand into his vest pocket, he produced the black blindfold he wore in their kendo exercise and tied it tight over his eyes. _Can't freak out if I can't see her face,_ he thought to himself, repeating it again several times like a mantra. Akane shook her head at the sight and focused on the cat-woman, keeping her attention away from its face as she continued to maintain her Link with her fiancé.

"**_Why don't you just roll over and die already, Hunter?"_** the cat-woman sneered as she grabbed hold of Shingen's naginata, locking up with him in a sudden contest of strength; smoke began to pour from her hands as the weapon seared her flesh, but she refused to let go.

Shingen stared at her emotionlessly. "Simple, really," he said… and then smiled. "A Hunter never abandons a mission, least of all when he's got good backup."

The cat-woman blinked… and stared as Ranma leaped towards her from behind Shingen, right foot extending at the last second to catch her right on the side of the head. The impact broke her concentration and she let go of the naginata, staggered away and glared at the two men before her. Ranma was still twitching nervously, but from the way his jaw was set the fear wasn't nearly as crippling as it had been before; the demon's eyes widened as she noticed the blindfold.

"**_Why, you… how did you…"_**

"Don't always need eyes to see, freak." And with that, Ranma exploded in a flurry of motion, his fists shooting forward so fast they began to create low-grade sonic booms just before they hit. The cat-woman tried to give as good as she got, but before long she was giving ground and being herded by her opponent instead of the other way around. Suddenly his body blurred and darted beneath her; she barely had time to spin around before he stood up again and whipped his left leg out in a reverse roundhouse. A cracking sound echoed in the training hall- the sound of some of the demon's ribs breaking.

Shingen shook his head in amazement, noting the tell-tale signs of Aura Sight in Ranma's ki as he lunged in with his own weapon, swinging in a figure eight pattern. White ichors spilt from the demon's arms as the naginata flayed her flesh; with a desperate scream she flung her arms out to the sides and knocked Shingen to one side. She tried to do the same with Ranma but failed as he backflipped out of her reach, landing in a crouch not far from the wooden table. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and realign with Akane's Astral Link, when he noticed something nearby. He couldn't actually 'see' it, but the suddenness and strength of the aura it was emitting was enough for his own aura to react in kind.

Reaching out, he felt his hand close around a smooth wooden scabbard and felt a rush of energy envelop him. For a second, he almost thought he heard the whinny of a warhorse in the back of his mind… and suddenly what remained of his fears subsided. His right hand reached around, gripping the hilt of the Sagara clan wakizashi in a ready position.

"**_You Hunters just don't give up, do you?"_** the demon screamed, pushing Shingen away with a sudden blast of violet ki that scorched a section of his jacket, but otherwise left him unharmed. She flexed her claws and dropped into a crouch, preparing to lunge at Shingen once more. **_"Stop putting up a worthless effort so I can kill you and take that purrfect pig-tailed one away… he'll make such a nice chew toy!"_** Her leg muscles flexed, seconds from jumping… when two things happened at once.

"CHEW TOY? Oh, don't you even think about it, girl! _You keep away from my man!_" Akane's aura flared up brighter than before, and seconds later a basketball-sized ki orb exploded from her palms, smashing into the demon's back and scorching her shoulders. The cat-woman howled and staggered back up, but just before she could turn around to face Akane, the second thing happened. Two throwing knives flashed through the air and sank into the flesh directly under her eyes; the scream prompted by the darts was bloodcurdling.

Akane blinked in shock- but not because of the scream. _Keep away from my man? Where'd THAT come from… damn, guess I'm more possessive of Ranma than I thought…_ She blinked and shook her head in time to be shocked by something else. The knives in the demon's face didn't belong to Shingen.

"No effort is worthless… if the cause is just."

The voice and knives belonged to Mousse, who was struggling to his feet and prompting stares from more than a few people. His face was seared and his eyes were so bloodshot they were almost completely red, but his jaw was set in iron determination. A flick of the wrist and a weighted chain appeared in his hand; with a grunt, he sent the chain flying, catching the she-beast right on the nose and making her stagger backwards five steps. He flicked the chain, withdrawing it back into the depths of his robe and turned to face Ranma- an act which dropped the jaws of several non-combatants nearby. "Saotome, enough is enough! Finish it now!"

"Right!" Ranma ducked into a low crouch, reaching out with his aura and locking onto the spirit energies of the demon. A hint of a smile crossed his face as he began to suppress his ki… lower and lower… and just as the demon finished swiping the knives out of her face, he suppressed it completely and disappeared.

"Umisen-ken revised attack! HITOSHIREZU-KEN!"

The demon barely had time to blink before a loud, wet cutting noise echoed through the hall, followed by Ranma re-emerging from the Umisen-ken six feet behind her, sword drawn and held upward as if at the apex of a quick-drawn side swing.

There was dead silence for a few moments.

A line of white cut across the demon's torso, starting from the right hip and terminating at the left shoulder. A low gurgle escaped her throat and she dropped to her knees on the wooden floor. White ichors burst from the wound… and seconds later, the yamaneko screamed and exploded into a cloud of scintillating white particles. They danced and dipped through the air in a madcap rhythm of their own… and then with a flash, they and the demon were gone.

Ranma let out a long breath as he re-sheathed the wakizashi and pulled the bandanna off his face.

"Bet she didn't see that one coming," he quipped before collapsing to his knees. Akane was at his side in seconds, pulling his arm over her shoulder and helping him up.

To Be Continued.

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Author's note 7/24/05: Well, this turned out to be the longest chapter yet. I apologize for the delay, but as mentioned previously expect a delay of 2-3 weeks between posts nowadays. I just endured a hellish week at work in the middle of writing this, not to mention a heat wave that fried my imagination a bit. And now, a few comments.

For those who still wonder why it is the Springs of Jusenkyo weren't explored further, it can be rather easy to subtly dissuade people from getting too curious- demons do have their ways, especially if they tap into, in the words of Douglas Adams, "people's natural predisposition not to see anything they don't want to, weren't expecting or can't explain". A little xenophobia here, plain ignorance there- there's dozens of reasons why the Joketsuzoku or the Musk wouldn't look too deeply at the springs. After all, the greatest trick the Devil played was convincing the world he didn't exist…

As for Akane's rising skill level in this chapter, keep in mind her Hunter blood and power is starting to awaken, and training in an area set aside and magically enchanted for such a purpose is only going to boost that- in short, she's catching up to the level she reached in the Battle Dogi arc, but isn't relying on something to do it, except maybe the training weights. Also, if you're wondering 'why didn't Ranma go berserk when fighting the cat-woman?', one, she didn't look entirely feline most of the time- only a few features here and there. Two, during the point where Ranma would have lost it, he got the wind knocked out of him before it could happen.

The act of striking your opponent's weapon without letting the sword rise even slightly- which Akane did to break Shampoo's bokken- is also known as the Fire and Stones Cut; you can find it in Musashi's Book of Five Rings. And now for the new stuff:

_Ryouko Tsume Ken:_ Akane's improvised ki-enhanced jab-uppercut technique, can translate as Dragon and Tiger Claw Strike, Two Tigers' Claw or Hero's Claw Strike. Personally I prefer the Two Tigers' Claw; it seems to fit her.

_yamaneko:_ Not necessarily a bona fide Japanese demon, although the _raiju_(a catlike lightning demon) is part of Japanese lore. Literally translates as 'wildcat' or 'lynx'.

_Makoto Toku:_ Mentioned in a previous chapter, Shingen's Faith Shield defensive ki maneuver.

_Hitoshirezu-ken:_ Literally, Hidden Strike or Unseen Strike- Ranma giving the Umisen-ken a more lethal angle by addition of a blade.

I'm afraid I may have to keep my individual reviews a bit short this time, but I am grateful for each and every one of them- over 220 reviews on this site! THANK YOU SO MUCH, all of you.

Dragon Man 180: Nice idea re: Instant Drowned Girl punishment for Genma; I'll keep it under consideration but rest assured, whatever happens to Genma will be most humbling and humiliating. Heh.

The-Shadow-002: Glad you liked the shock collar, switching between forms for the panda is unlikely at best. Hope you enjoyed this installment.

Wonderbee31: Yeah, Akane still has a little ways to go in overcoming her fears, but she's getting closer all the time. Glad you enjoyed.

Taro MD: Hope the battle was enjoyable for you and that it met your expectations. Thanks for your support- and as far as deaths go, you may have to wait longer on that score.

Fotoguy: Nabiki and Kasumi are up in the air at the moment in how they figure in to the Hunter bloodline. Yes, it is possible for love to be dampened by negative emotions but it also happens to be one of the strongest emotions out there, and with the way Akane and Ranma have been growing as a couple it would take a case of major jealousy or misunderstanding to hamper it- harder still when you remember the two of them can Astral Link. Sorry, no NWC death in this chapter… but that may not always be the case… and stay tuned for the punishment of the panda in future chapters. Thanks for your support.

Borg rabbit: Nope, Ranma still hasn't really mastered the Neko-ken, but with two other Hunters alongside he- fortunately- didn't have to go berserk this time.

AmnarJoey: Wow. A new fan… all I can say is thank you for your enthusiastic reviews, and I only hope the latest chapter meets your expectations. It's quite possible that Shampoo will realize the mistake she made in shunning Mousse- but only time will tell.

Priestess Kohana: Thank you, and keep going with your writing.

Lerris: Thanks for your notes; they have been taken into consideration. I know the points you mentioned are a bit common, but in the context of my story there was no way around it.

Selena3900: Glad you liked it, hope you stay tuned for more.

Luna12: I actually haven't read the stories you mentioned, I simply picked up on a few hints in the series and then examined the Chinese Zodiac for the appropriate animals. Lo and behold, a Tiger and a Horse are ideal partners… Hope you enjoyed the Tendo-Amazon showdown, and glad you liked Nabiki.

Maximara: See notes above regarding lack of tribal knowledge of the springs- and as for the Musk and Phoenix, it's not unreasonable to assume that their close proximity and use of said springs might cause them to develop an unconscious defense against the corrupting nature. Especially when you consider the Musk using it to 'make' wives for themselves; it's possible they're inherently resistant to possession as such. And why didn't the Hunters take care of it? Lack of numbers, limited clans- not to mention even worse demonic threats than the springs attracting their attention. As mentioned, the last Chinese Hunter clan disappeared over 70 years prior.

KachinkKachia: As far as Ranma holding back goes- in the canon he fought at full strength and did something he didn't actually want to do, he killed a _god_. The 'holding back' is just a mental block created by the fight with Saffron, which he is slowly letting go of… he will still hold back against 'normal' people, but with his Hunter blood he can't afford to hold back against a demon.

Martrex: Thank you.

OK, so I wasn't so short on the reviews… That's all for now. It'll still be another 2-3 weeks until the next installment, so please bear with me. Thanks for your reviews; keep 'em coming. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	25. Saturday Night Aftermath

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own 'em, I just like 'em. Time to shift gears after the action of the last chapter. Be aware, this chapter will have a more than fair amount of WAFF and maybe an implied thing or two- nothing overt, mind you. There, warning out of the way. Enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 25: Saturday Night- Aftermath

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Shampoo stirred. She breathed in slowly, wincing a little as her ribs decided to complain to her. A low moan escaped her lips, a lethargic and almost lifeless moan- which mirrored the way she was feeling. She felt drained. Physically and spiritually drained… but something at the back of her mind told her that she wasn't feeling the pain she should have been. After the beating she had received, she expected her body to feel like an open wound, but it didn't. Her mind, on the other hand, felt like it had been raked and toyed with by clawed hands- especially as the memories began to return. Memories of losing control. Memories of a nameless force, desiring only to be _the_ best, _the_ strongest, _the_ girl for her airen… and memories of a fight she didn't want to initiate, but stood back and watched as something within forced her hand.

_No… oh, no… what Shampoo done now? I go against great-grandmother's orders… break word given to Ranma and Akane… how could Shampoo lose control?_ Her chest tightened as she stifled a sob. _I try be strong, but voice too great, too convincing… no… Shampoo weak… break promise, hurt Mousse and try to… try to kill…_ Her eyes fluttered and she grew more aware of her surroundings.

She felt a mattress and pillow beneath her, a sheet covering her. She stirred again and, as the haze of sleep left her, became aware of voices nearby.

"Will she be alright? She got hit pretty bad a few times, you know." _Mousse? He sound close by… sound worried…_ She could feel someone sitting on the edge of the bed next to her and guessed it might be him.

"I don't think you'll need to worry; the Naosu Kousen alleviated the worst of it. All she needs right now is some time to recover." _That sound like Ranma's friend, spear-swinging Hunter…_ "Looks like she's coming out of it."

A smaller weight settled on the bed near her head. "Child? Can you hear me?"

"Mmhh… Great-grandmother… where we…" Her eyelids fluttered open a crack, and for a moment she saw only the blurred outlines of three people nearby.

"Shh… it's alright, dear," Cologne said in a soft tone. "You're home now. The Neko Hanten. It's all over." She stroked Shampoo's hair gently with her right hand "You gave this poor old woman a right scare, young lady," she added with a light chuckle.

"I…" Shampoo began, then squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away in shame. "I no can ask forgiveness, great-grandmother. Shampoo do too, too bad thing this day… ignore law, open old wound with perv… w-with Akane, I mean… I listen to voice in head, and fall too easily." She sniffled. "Shampoo not fit to be warrior any longer…"

"Child, stop that," said Cologne firmly. "You couldn't have known what the curse was going to do to you, I'm not sure _any_ of us could have known. It isn't your fault- and don't start talking nonsense about being an unfit warrior, either." The Elder's face softened as she reached over and cupped Shampoo's face, gently bringing her head back so that she could look her in the eye. "No warrior is invincible, Shampoo. The beast inside you may have made you overlook that fact, then played upon still-lingering feelings in your heart… after all, a few honeyed words can often make it easy to fall into a trap."

"But Shampoo still break word by going after…"

"Child, it _wasn't_ your fault. That spirit within pushed you into it; don't you think I'd know if it was all your own doing? I could feel it almost the moment I saw you." She let out a long breath. "I found the warding pendant Yamashira gave you lying on the floor; it must have come loose and allowed the spirit to assert itself."

Shampoo blinked, then looked across the room to where Shingen was standing. "Is true?" He nodded, and a nameless dread suddenly crept into her mind. "Then… will curse come back, or did…"

"It's alright," he replied, approaching the bed and adjusting his bandanna. "Fortunately I had a ward prepared in time, so we were able to get the wildcat spirit inside of you isolated." He cracked his knuckles. "Put up one hell of a fight, but it's been destroyed. So, no need to worry."

"He wanted to make sure you were stable, so he helped bring you back once it was all over," said Cologne. "And if I dare say so myself- that was a most impressive battle indeed."

Shampoo smiled slightly. "So… Shampoo no longer curse?"

"That's right. And from what I've seen in your aura, the Purge worked perfectly. Not a trace left." _About time the technique did exactly what it was supposed to do, too,_ he mused. _I've still got to check Mr. Saotome more thoroughly at some point… maybe I should phone the Tendos from here, just to check on him._

A tear made its way down Shampoo's cheek. "Th-thank you…"

"Actually, I'm not the only one you should thank," Shingen interrupted. "Both Ranma and Akane pitched in to fight the beast… and this fella here went above and beyond the call of duty, given what we were up against. Even injured, he got back up and hit that wildcat just hard enough to give us an attack opening." He pointed in Mousse's direction; Shampoo shifted her head and blinked, eyes widening as she saw him in focus for the first time since waking up. His clothing was tattered in a few places, and there were definite signs of burns on his face, especially around the eyes… which, to her surprise, were unobscured by glasses and filled with obvious concern.

"Mousse…" she said softly. "What happen to you… and where glasses go?"

He shrugged. "I got hit pretty hard by some sort of a ki blast… can't really explain what happened after that, all I know is I knew I had to get back up and help out. And my glasses… well, they got kinda broken… but it doesn't look like I really need them anymore for some reason."

"You shouldn't have even been able to get up after a blast like that," said Shingen, arms folded. "Under normal circumstances those light beams should have destroyed your eyes or burned them beyond repair. Guess it's a good thing you were wearing those Coke-bottle lenses; they must've taken the brunt of the blast for you."

"Wait… Mousse could have been blinded all way?"

Mousse blinked a few times and looked around the room before smiling to himself. "You know, that possibility didn't actually cross my mind until now… about the only thing that really did hit me about the whole thing was just… well, just the fact that I was still breathing, and that somehow I could see a lot better, too!" He smiled broadly, then rubbed one of his eyelids. "Still itches some, though…"

Cologne shook her head, slightly amused. "And here I'd been thinking about finding some tribal remedy to make his eyes better, when along comes a demon lady and does the job for me!" She chuckled, and Shingen had to smirk at the irony of it all. _Yamaneko tries to burn his eyes out and gives him impromptu corrective surgery instead,_ he thought to himself. Shampoo smiled slightly, too… but just as quickly frowned and a cloud passed over her eyes.

_Mousse risk own eyes in battle… for me? He not care if he blinded, or killed? Just want to 'get back up and help out'… just like… just like bird-man on floating island, he not care then either…_ A tear lingered at the corner of her eye. "Great-grandmother, Hunter Shingen… Shampoo need a moment, please…"

Cologne nodded. "Of course, child. You need your rest, anyway."

"I should be getting back to the warehouse, anyway. Business to attend to… but first I need to make a quick phone call, if you don't mind, Elder?" said Shingen, straightening his jacket collar.

"I don't see why not," Cologne replied, hopping off the bed and escorting the taller man out the door and down the stairs to the restaurant. "I was hoping to ask you a few things before you go, as well… such as what the three of you were doing in the industrial district anyway? And that gymnasium of yours…"

"Well, Elder, it's really quite simple. You see…" Their voices faded out as they descended the stairs.

Mousse shifted on the bed and started to get up, expecting to be shooed out any second, but Shampoo's hand on his stopped him. He blinked- partly out of surprise, partly because he was still getting used to seeing things without lenses lodged on his nose. "Uh… Shampoo?"

"Mousse… Shampoo not ask you to go."

"Oh, uh… well, I figured if you were going to need a moment alone then you wouldn't want me to bother you, so…"

"_I didn't say I needed a moment alone,"_ she said softly in her native Mandarin. _"I just needed a moment, Muu Tsu. I have to ask you…"_ The tear in her eye escaped and ran down her cheek. _"Why did you risk yourself like that? Did you really… did you really have to fight something that tried to burn your eyes out?"_

Mousse stared at her silently for a moment, then nodded, unsure of what her reaction would be. _"Xian Pu… it was trying to kill us,"_ he replied, also in Mandarin. _"It could have, if I hadn't done something; Saotome almost froze up because of its catlike face, and even Yamashira couldn't hold it off single-handed."_ He sighed. _"I just didn't want to let it hurt anyone… especially you…"_

"_But you could have been blinded worse than before… or crippled, or killed…"_ Her hand closed tight around his. _"You don't have to do that, you stupid Muu Tsu… especially not for me… wasn't once enough? Do you have to keep beating yourself up just to try and prove yourself?"_ Her voice was cracking and it was becoming harder for her to hold back the tears running down her face. Just then she felt a hand under her chin, lifting her face up. She blinked and found herself looking into Mousse's eyes- eyes that weren't glazed over from infatuation the way she was used to, but eyes that looked at her with deep caring and warmth.

"_I know I've made a fool of myself in the past, Xian Pu,"_ he said gently. _"I know I've done a lot of stupid things to try and prove myself, but not always. Not this time… and not on Toma's island either."_ He reached over and brushed an errant strand of hair out of her eyes. _"I just wanted to help you because I care for you… even if the feeling isn't returned. I've always cared for you, and I always will. If not as one you love… then at least as a friend."_

He paused for a moment, then smirked slightly. _"Besides, one good thing did come from fighting that demon- I can actually see now! Wasn't expecting to, but I'm certainly not going to complain."_

Shampoo blinked, then smiled again as everything he had said settled in her heart, along with more than a few memories of their past and all the things he had done, good and bad. "Mousse…" she said, reverting to Japanese, "you not only one who see now." Another tear escaped her eye and she leaned forward in her bed, pulling close to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. Mousse very nearly lost it and was on the brink of reverting to form, but forced the urge back and gently rested his hands on her shoulders. She nestled into his embrace, resting her head on his lap as he gingerly rocked her back and forth.

_Mousse… maybe Shampoo is stupid one after all,_ she thought silently. _Spend so much time focused on stupid law, never even notice that Ranma not interested. Only focus on looks… never on heart…_

_You always there, even when I treat you too, too bad… maybe worse than Akane used to treat Ranma… always fight for Shampoo, even when too risky. Why I never notice this before, I no know…_

She let her arms drop and slowly fell asleep again, her head in Mousse's lap, his hand brushing through her long violet locks of hair.

_Mousse… thank you…_

--------------------

"Yeah, we weren't really expecting it either, Shin-kun," Nabiki drawled into the phone. "He just ups and flops into the koi pond, and boom, Mr. Panda's back in town." She took a bite of gyoza dumpling and chewed for a moment. "Thrashing about on the casting circle? Yep, we figured as much… nope, he still changes when you hit him with hot water." Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye and she reached down, tapping a button on a black remote control in front of her. A high-pitched yelp echoed from a few feet away.

"Huh? No, don't worry about that. Just something on TV. So how's my kid sister and Ranma doing, anyway?" Another dumpling bite or two, followed by her eyes widening and the dumpling getting lodged in an uncomfortable place; Nabiki thumped her chest twice and downed some tea before she could cough and resume talking. "You're kidding… you're saying she improvised her own attack and actually CLOBBERED that Chinese twit?" A motion caught her eye again and she slapped the remote again, followed by another animal-like yelp. "Hey, she's not gonna wind up gettin' the Kiss of… she isn't? The ol' crone says so? Well, that's a relief… sounds like this little training trip of yours must be paying off if she could hold her own against that girl." Another pause, followed by eyes widening. "No kidding… damn, wish I had a video camera for that… so, you guys coming back any time soon?"

"Sounds to me like Akane's making some real progress," said Kasumi quietly as she sipped her own cup of tea. "Though that last bit did sound a bit worrisome- I hope she's not getting into real trouble with this training regimen."

Soun sniffed, trying to hold back a flood of panicky tears. "Please don't say such things, Kasumi… I'm worried enough about my baby girl as it is! Off who knows where, doing heaven knows what… no, mustn't worry. This is what she wanted, I can't worry about her all my life, and besides, she's not alone. Of course she's alright… but… but… _she's my baby girl!_" The tears burst loose, prompting a fresh supply of tissues from Kasumi.

"Father, please… we're all concerned about Akane, it's only natural. Especially when she's on a training trip… but like you said, she wanted this. She's growing up, Father; eventually you will have to accept that fact and let go. Besides, Ranma and Shingen are both with her; I don't think there's really anything for you to worry about."

Soun sniffled. "I… I know, Kasumi… but still…"

"Geez Dad, chill out already," Nabiki sighed as she hung up the phone. "From what Shingen says she's already been able to handle a couple interlopers already; didn't you hear what I was saying? She knocked the stuffing out of that purple-haired bimbo today- apparently the girl's neko side decided to take over and made her go nuts." She snagged another bite of her dinner and chewed slowly. "Fact that Akane faced her down pretty much tells me we got nothin' to worry about." Another motion caught her eye and she slapped the remote again. "Ah, ah, ah, Mr. Saotome. You keep it up and I keep hitting the buzzer," she said icily as another pained growf echoed through the room.

"I still think you're going a little overboard with this, Nabiki," said Kasumi, shaking her head.

"It's not just business, oneechan. It's personal too… besides, Auntie Nodoka said it was okay with her, and we wouldn't want to get on her bad side. _Would we?_" Nabiki replied, shooting a certain panda a look that could kill.

Genma-panda was seated at the far end of the table, fur standing on end as another electric shock jolted his system. He was more than a little despondent when he had learned Nabiki had wired up a remote control for the shock collar on his leg, but the current situation was almost more than he could bear. The other household members each had one of Kasumi's culinary masterpieces before them, and he had a big plate of bamboo. Every time he tried to reach for some of the gyoza or even some rice, Nabiki promptly hit the button until he returned to the bamboo. This made him miserable to no end, for while as a panda he could survive on bamboo, he did not relish the taste.

PLEASE? he signed with a pathetic, begging whine. Nabiki shook her head. "You know the rules, bub. You've been doing a little too much freeloading off of us for the past year, so you'll just have to make do with what you've got. Of course, you could always pay the bill sitting next to the plate…"

Genma blanched; the bill for food and lodging Nabiki had drawn up and set by his plate looked more like a UPS dispatch number than a bill.

"And in case you're wondering, I put some more boundary wire around the kitchen this afternoon. And the pantry. So don't think about trying to sneak a midnight snack, either, unless you want more shocks." Nabiki took a bite of her meal and made several exaggerated chews, with a few hmms and yums thrown in. The panda was practically drooling by now and tried to make a lightning-fast grab for Soun's plate…

…and found out the hard way Nabiki's fingers could be even faster. A few seconds later, she released the button and smiled charmingly at a newly smoldering panda. "We could always talk payment via installment plan…"

Genma hung his head. _I'm doomed_.

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Ranma sat on the edge of his bunk while Akane was finishing off a set of cool-down stretches. He turned the Sagara wakizashi in his hand, letting light dance along the length of its gleaming untarnished blade. His eyes traveled along the cutting edge and rested briefly on the pentagram sigil etched into the metal, just above the tsuba. A sigh escaped his lips and he turned the blade over, looking dispassionately at the additional runes adorning the spine of the blade.

_Well, no turning back now,_ he thought, fingering the horse motif of the tsuba. _You've killed again. Spilled the blood of a bona fide demon. Took up the blade of an ancestor ya never knew… and killed with one clean sweep._ He picked up the saya that lay beside him and sheathed the wakizashi, then lay it across his lap and just looked at it.

_Didn't even think twice about it, either. Just drew the blade… boom. No hesitation, no fear. Just action. Like the blade was wakin' up something inside me, telling me what to do. And the rush of power… so much power…_

He brushed his hand over the sheathed sword. _An' the weird thing is… I wasn't worried like I usually get in fights like this. I mean, I coulda hurt Akane or someone else by mistake if I'd made one slip-up… but I didn't even think about that. It's like… like somethin' was telling me not to worry. That I had full control. Strike now, strike fast and eliminate that thing before it caused more suffering._ Ranma blinked, remembering a phrase in the Hunter's Code that Shingen had mentioned to them earlier that day.

"_Purely evil demonic forces are beyond redemption and can never be swayed from their dark path. Only one who is partially of human descent or blood is capable of learning; for all others, there is only Swift Death to Evil."_

_That's right… kill or be killed. And I didn't really have a problem with it._ He shook his head. _Still… that rush of power scares me a bit…_

"Ranma? You okay?" said Akane as she finished her stretches and crossed the bunk room, sitting next to him on the bed. "You've been staring at that sword for the last five minutes now. Something wrong?"

"Oh… uh…" He blinked, then set the sword down on the floor next to his backpack with a sheepish look. "Guess I got a little lost in thought there."

"Really," Akane replied, crossing her arms over her knees. "Anything in particular, or just general brooding?"

Ranma shrugged. "I dunno… just thinking' about what just happened, that's all. The Purge, the fight… taking that demon out…" He rested his chin on his hand. "Kinda a lot to take in at the moment, you know?"

Akane nodded slowly. "Yeah, I do. Not exactly the day I'd expected it to be, but then again I have learned to expect the unexpected. Especially when it comes to you," she finished with a smirk.

"Oh, ha ha," Ranma replied, sticking his tongue out at her. She returned the gesture in kind, with a giggle thrown in as well. "I'm just saying, is all," he continued, "I guess I'm just a little surprised at how certain things wound up happening. Or…" He paused. "Or… how it might feel to do certain things."

"You're talking about when you cut that yamaneko down, aren't you."

He nodded. "Yeah. Ya know, I almost expected to feel guilty about what happened out there… about taking that thing's life. But the weird thing is… I don't. I don't feel anything bad about what I did. At all."

Akane blinked. "Well… that's a good thing, isn't it? I mean, you felt that thing's aura when we fought it, right? It's what we're supposed to be learning how to do, so there's really no reason to feel bad about it, is there?"

"Acchan, the power I felt when I used that sword was unbelievable… so much that it scared me." He swallowed hard. "I didn't have any compunction against slicing that thing up like teriyaki steak… but… but what if… what if I wound up using that against…"

Akane's hand rested on Ranma's. He looked up and saw her give him a look that pushed all his other thoughts right out the door. "Ranma, if you finish that sentence with the words 'using that against you or someone we care about', I'll slap you," she said in a firm tone. "I know you a lot better than that, you dummy; I know what kind of control you have over your own abilities, and I know how much you hate the idea of losing that control! You really think you can lose it at the drop of a hat and start hurting people at random?"

"What about the Neko-ken? You think I've got that kind of control when I lapse into that? Hell, I coulda fallen into that when we were fighting that damn demon; how do you think that mighta turned out?"

Akane faltered and her shoulders slumped. "Oh… I hadn't thought about that… but, even so, you never killed anybody when you went neko, either. You just, I don't know, get a little more feral in the way you handle things, but I don't think the way you feel about people changes much." She noticed a glum look on his face and pulled a little closer. "Besides… I don't know if you noticed it during the fight, but once you picked that sword up, your nervousness dropped even more than it did when you put the blindfold on."

Ranma's eyes widened and he turned to look at her. "Hey… now that you mention it… but how'd you know?"

_Call it my women's intuition, Ranma,_ she thought to him with a smirk as she opened a brief Astral Link with him. He blinked, then snickered at the obviousness of it all; of course she would have noticed since she had acted as his indirect eyes during the battle. Akane giggled at his reaction, then gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Look, I'm not saying don't worry about it- you're right, in fact this whole thing's starting to get a little overwhelming for me, too," she continued. "It kinda threw me earlier when I hit Shampoo with that punch combo… wasn't expecting it to do all that it did. But if I hadn't done it when I did, she might have gotten a lot worse." She laced her fingers together with his. "Ranma… I guess all I'm really trying to say is…"

"That I'm thinking about it more than I oughta, right?" he replied, a small smile emerging on his face.

Akane shrugged. "You're the one who told me, 'don't think, just do', remember?" she asked, returning the smile.

"I… I guess I just got so thrown at the idea of cutting a demon down without a thought…" Ranma shook his head. "Guess it got me wondering if I could feel that way about doing it to anyone else. An' I don't want to."

"I know you don't," said Akane gently. "And knowing you the way I do, you won't."

For a moment, Ranma said nothing but sat on the bed, looking into Akane's eyes while she held his hand. Gradually, his smile grew wider and he pulled her closer, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders.

"So… where did you come up with that move again? That was pretty damn impressive, that 'Ryouko Tsume Ken' or whatever it was."

Akane flushed slightly. "Actually… that was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing, I was kinda surprised the way that turned out." She lifted her head and looked up somewhat sheepishly. "Truth is… I sorta borrowed the idea from a video game I used to play with Yuka ages ago; she's a real big Street Fighter fan and keeps on playing this 'Ryu' character, so…"

"You're tellin' me you taught yerself a ki punch based off a _video game?_" Ranma's eyes were wide and a smirk rapidly spreading across his face.

"Well, at least it worked; that's the important thing, right?" She was trying to look irked, but was starting to giggle.

"Didn't think you were really that big on those kinda games… tomboy." He chuckled.

"Baka," she replied with a laugh, and for a few moments the two of them just sat there, holding each other and laughing off a good deal of the pent-up stress of the afternoon's encounter. After a minute or two, their laughs died down and they looked at each other once again. Their arms were still around one another, and there were no other sounds save the dull hum of the fluorescent lights of the bunkroom.

Akane blinked and felt a strange feeling begin to wash over her. Part of it was déjà vu- once more they were alone, in each other's arms, as they had been so many times before. A small part of her was almost expecting something to come crashing through at any moment- a suitor, a rival, or just general insanity- and break the two of them apart once again. It had happened so often, she was almost conditioned to it.

But an interruption was not forthcoming, and a pair of subsequent emotions were shooting her heart rate up to new heights. One was confusion- not being sure of what to do. They had practically never been in this situation before, and the few times they had had real time alone over the past week had still been interrupted- but Shingen and the others were out, and he likely wouldn't be back for a while yet. Nobody else- in particular their families- knew where the warehouse was, to her knowledge, and that was causing the second emotion to flare up even more- an emotion she had been hiding from Ranma for months, not knowing if he cared or not. One that had shot her adrenaline through the roof when the yamaneko had teased about taking Ranma away as a chew toy- or when he had held her close during their ki exercises.

"Akane… are you okay?"

She blinked and looked up into his eyes, reflecting his concern, and nodded ever so slightly. "I'm fine, Ranma… I'm fine…" she said softly.

She let the second emotion guide her as she brought her face closer to his. They kissed, gingerly at first, then again with a more resolute aura. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as his hands traveled down her back, feeling the sweat-stained fabric of her gi and pulling her closer still. A fire was starting to travel through Akane's veins as their kisses became more passionate… and suddenly she pushed back from him, allowing them both to catch their breath.

"Ranma…" she breathed.

"Uh… yeah?"

She swallowed hard… sniffed slightly and gave him a half-hearted smile. "You know… we both pretty much stink."

Ranma's eyes widened for a second, then the tension lifted and he chuckled slightly. "Oh… uh… sorry 'bout that…"

_Nice going, Akane… you dummy!_ said Akane to herself, even as she laughed with him. "It's not that big a deal, really… j-just overexerted ourselves, that's all," she said, blushing. She looked up again and found the second emotion beginning to overwhelm her again.

_Do something already!_ she shouted to herself. _You know what it is you want, so DO something about it!_ She took a deep breath and swallowed hard, then took hold of Ranma's hand again. "Well… since we both worked up kind of a sweat today… we could use a bath." She got up, pulling him up with her and started for the door of the washroom; part of her mind was singing with nervousness, but the strength of the second emotion and leftover adrenaline from the fight were overruling it for the moment.

She had made it to the changing room when Ranma's shock wore off and he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide. "Wait a sec… Akane, what are you doing?"

She stopped as well; her blush was covering her head to toe now. "I just told you. The bath's right through there, might as well use it, right?" she said, a slight nervous lilt to her voice.

"But… I figured we were gonna take turns, like this morning, or…" He stopped, noticing the look on her face and the way she was shifting on her feet. "You mean… both of us? The s-same time?"

"I… I know it's out of the blue… but there's only the one bath. It'd save time if we went together… and b-besides… we _are_ engaged, and it's not like we haven't s-seen each other before…"

Ranma was boggled. The Akane from a year ago would have malleted him to the moon before even thinking of something like this… and he was starting to pick up something through a subconscious Link she didn't know she had created with him. It felt like she had more on her mind than just a bath…

"Acchan…" he started slowly. "Are you… I mean… geez, this is really outta nowhere… I… are you sure about this?"

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if I wasn't," she replied, loosening her gi belt. "I know it's not like me… well, not like the _old_ me, anyway… you may not believe it, but the truth is I've thought about this on and off for a long time, even those times I acted like… like a b-bitch on wheels to you…" An errant tear escaped her eye and she smiled, taking a step closer to him. "Ranma, we haven't really had that many chances to just be alone. I… well… I really want to make this chance count. I love you… I know you love me… what else is there?"

Ranma swallowed hard. His resistance and his shock were rapidly crumbling under her words. _She's right… we haven't had that many chances to be together, but I didn't think that she'd… I mean, I ain't denyin' I've felt the same way myself, but I didn't wanna force the issue. Didn't think she felt the same way about me up till last week… didn't want to make her think I was a REAL pervert, but… but now this?_

He stood silent for a moment or two in thought… then took a few steps forward and put his hands on her shoulders. Akane's smile brightened slightly.

"You really don't mind… about this?"

She shook her head. "I don't mind… if you don't mind."

"Well… truth is… I d-don't mind either… I just didn't wanna hurt you, or make you feel…"

"Ranma, do yourself a favor?" she interrupted, cupping his face in her hands.

"Uh… yeah?"

"Shut up," she whispered with a giggle as she pulled his head down for her fiercest, most passionate kiss ever. He quickly returned the favor, pulling her into a tight embrace as she raised her left foot, kicking the changing room door closed.

And for the first time in their lives, they weren't interrupted once.

--------------------

_Dearest Father, please try to understand what I'm about to tell you…_ "No, that's just not me." A crumpling sound, followed by a piece of paper being tossed into a nearby garbage can. _Hey Dad, here's something ironic!_ "Nah. Too dumb." Another page crumpled, then tossed away, followed by a long pause. _Father. Your damn blood feud took my life away from me; I can't hurt Ranma and I won't be anything more than a friend to him. He never even knew about the arrangement because of his moron dad. I didn't want to accept it before, but it's the truth. I don't even care if you throw me out of the family anymore- I never had much of one to begin with anyway. Screw you, and I hope you rot in hell._

Ukyo heaved a long sigh. "Dammit, this is harder than I thought it'd be." She slumped forward on the bench just outside of Ucchan's and rested her chin on her hand. She could hear the dim sounds of customers inside and silently thanked the Kami that the dinner crowd was lighter than usual. Beside her lay several other ripped and crumpled papers that hadn't reached the garbage can- remnants of her continued attempts to write to her father.

"I'm not even sure I can go through with mailing this, even if I _do_ get it right," she grumbled. "Not every day you up and decide to confront your dad with what he did to you." She looked at the paper in her hands and noticed a few damp spots on the paper. She blinked and wiped at her cheeks; she hadn't even noticed she'd been crying.

_Rough afternoon,_ Ukyo thought to herself. _Rough week, really… didn't help much seeing how well Ran-chan and Akane worked together during that… whatever the hell it was they were doing with Shampoo. Something about curse removals and demons…_ She straightened up slightly and wiped her nose. _Talk about a skill boost, I don't think I ever saw Akane fight so well in my life… or…_ She paused, retracing the events of earlier in her mind. She fumed for a moment over the fact that her combat spatula was wrecked, but kicked that memory to the side as other memories began to flow through her mind. She remembered Ranma and Akane holding hands at one point, but somehow wasn't as bothered by it anymore. Then there were other things… the striped cat-woman emerging from Shampoo's body, or Mousse's attempts to bind the demon in place, or…

_Or that Shingen guy._ Her eyes widened for a moment, then she shut them tight and shook her head.

"Still didn't get a chance to say thank you after that fight was over…" she muttered. She let out a long breath, then glanced towards the restaurant door.

"Ah well. Guess I better go back in an' give Konatsu a break or something." She took one last look at the letter in her hands and slid it into her vendor's vest before standing up. _I can always try an' finish this later,_ she thought as she picked up the remnants of her earlier attempts and tossed them in the trash can.

"Oh, Ukyo… I had no idea you were going through such pain!"

Ukyo's eyes snapped wide open. _No… oh geez, don't tell me…_ Her head slowly pivoted, gradually allowing her eyes to rest on the trash can. A trash can with a head sticking out of it, paper sticking to the long red hair. "To have a falling out with one's own father… oh, my beloved Ukyo, I will gladly comfort you in this time of need!"

Ukyo's face went from shocked to furious in half a second. "TSUBASA! Why don't you get a gawddamn clue and GET LOST, JACKASS!"

Her right leg snapped out, booting the trash can as if it were a soccer ball and sending the costumed transvestite rocketing down the street. Ukyo glared and suddenly gasped; in its ascension the trash can and its occupant came very close to taking off the head of a man who just happened to be walking towards the restaurant at that moment. She almost screamed out a warning, but the man leaned to the side and easily dodged the incoming can, turning to stare at it as it tumbled end over end down the road. He blinked a few times, then straightened out his leather jacket and turned back to face Ukyo, shifting the weight of the long object wrapped in white silk on his shoulder.

"Uh, I'm really sorry about that, sir. See, I was…" She stopped talking for a second as he took a few steps closer, into the light from the restaurant windows. "Y-Yamashira-san?"

The taller man raised an eyebrow. "Having an argument with the local garbage, are we, Miss Kuonji?"

"Well… in a manner of speaking, yeah," she stammered. _What's he doing here? Wasn't he busy doing something with Ran-chan and Akane?_ She scratched the back of her head nervously. _And why the hell am I getting so worked up? He's just some guy… some guy who just happened to save my ass in a fight and has one hell of a cool fighting style and… Dammit, what the hell is going on with me? Calm down, dummy…_ She shook her head. "Uh… sorry about that, I wasn't trying to hit ya or nothing."

Shingen folded his arms, setting his wrapped naginata down. "Don't worry 'bout it. I've dealt with a lot worse than that… but I wouldn't recommend punting trash cans down the road at all hours, you never know who you might whack," he said with a wry smile.

"I know, I know… it's just that creep never gets a friggin' clue, so that's the only way I can really get rid of him."

"Him? Excuse me?"

Ukyo sighed. "Some dork named Tsubasa who thinks he's in love with me. Keeps popping up in outfits like that, tryin' to get my attention. A few days ago he showed up dressed as a mailbox; I guess he thinks I'll find it amusing," she groused.

Shingen glanced back down the street, then back at Ukyo. "I think I can now officially say I've seen everything," he said, an eyebrow quirked. "An admirer who dresses like inanimate objects?"

"Well, not always," Ukyo replied, rolling her eyes. "Usually he prefers dresses. And never seems to mind being booted; I'm thinking he qualifies as a transvestite masochist with masquerade tendencies." She paused, then snickered. "Geez, that's a mouthful…"

Shingen sweatdropped slightly. "Okay… _now_ I've seen everything." _I wonder if this is part of the chaos stream, too…_ He straightened his bandanna. "Anyhow, I was just on my way back; had to check and make sure the Amazon girl was recovering well."

"Oh, yeah… how's she doing, anyway? That was pretty rough earlier, that ritual-thingy or whatever…"

"She's doing fine." He paused, then looked at her more seriously. "What about you? You took a hell of a risk stepping into the fight like that, and without a weapon, too."

"Yeah, I know," Ukyo replied a bit sheepishly. "Guess I wasn't really thinking, but… well… you know Ranma and me had a bit of a past together… I just wanted to help, that's all." She sighed. "Guess I didn't really know what I was getting into, huh."

"You might say that." Shingen folded his arms again, and slowly his expression softened. "Still… took a lot of guts to jump into something the way you did. And that's something I can respect." He paused, then smirked. "Next time, though, you might want to pair those guts with a little forethought, Kuonji-san."

She flushed slightly. "It's Ukyo… and I'll try and remember that, Yamashira-san."

He nodded. "Call me Shingen," he said, turning down the street and picking up his naginata again. "Well… better be on my way; got some work to do. You take care, Ukyo."

She nodded weakly, then blinked. _Dammit, don't go yet, I didn't even get a chance to…_ "Hey, Shingen… wait up."

He paused, then turned back to face her again. "Something wrong?"

She fidgeted a bit. "Well… you know… I never really got a chance to thank you for… for saving my butt from that snake-thing a few days ago… or that other time this afternoon." She paused, then looked him in the eye. "Thanks a lot… sugar."

Shingen chuckled lightly. "No problem. I do this sort of thing all the time."

She blinked, then gave him a wry smile. "Do what sort of thing? Fight off weirdoes, or protect pretty girls from weirdoes?"

"The fighting. I haven't protected that many pretty girls." He paused, then smiled back. "At least until recently."

"Oh, so now we've moved on to flattery, eh?" she retorted with a chuckle before straightening out her vest. "Hey, tell you what… let me fix ya up something, okay? Yer probably pretty starved after a fight like that."

Shingen blinked. "You really don't have to do that, there's food back at the training hall… besides, I've got a few things to do."

"Hey, it's really not that big a deal; besides, what could you have that could rival an Ucchan's deluxe? Hell, ya tasted one yourself a few days back when I came to visit the dojo- ya really want to pass that up?" She scratched the back of her head again. "Besides… I figured it'd be a better way to thank you than just a few words."

Shingen paused. _This I wasn't expecting,_ he mused. _I do have to get back and report to Father about what's happened, and Ranma and Akane might need some more work before lights out. But on the other hand…_ He looked up. _It does smell good in there. And I am a little hungry… she doesn't have to do this, I was just doing what's right. But I shouldn't refuse, that'd be rude…_ "Well, I guess I could spare a few minutes, if you really don't mind."

Ukyo beamed, then quickly forced her smile back to a less obvious level. "No trouble at all, Shingen-kun. C'mon in." She opened the door and took his hand, leading him inside.

Shingen shook his head. _Very energetic, this Ukyo,_ he thought with a smile. _Cute, too…_

--------------------

The sunset's last flickering lights cast long shadows over the Unryuu estate as a long work day came to a close. Several great specimens of the sumo pig stable were being herded back into their pens by two figures. One, their grand champion and largest of the pigs, Katsunishiki. The other, a young man in his late teens in a beige tank top and yellow bandanna, whom they had come to know in their own porcine tongue as The Brick Wall- a sparring partner none had budged yet.

Ryoga wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at the reddish sky. "Another day done," he said softly. He drew in a long breath, then let it out again. _Another day when I didn't get lost. Not once since we arrived, thank the Kami,_ he thought to himself. He glanced at the mammoth pig next to him and grinned. "You know, big guy, I think you're getting tougher. I think you held out for a full twelve seconds 'fore I pushed you out of the ring."

The pig gave a resigned grunt and waddled into the pen to join his fellow warriors. Ryoga shoved his hands into his pockets and looked back up again.

_This is nice,_ he thought. _For once in my life I'm not getting as lost as I usually do, I haven't had one of those nightmares since that incident at the dojo… and I didn't really expect it, but I kinda like the routine around here._ He looked at the pens and chuckled. "Haven't had sparring partners quite like you guys before," he said to himself. "Then again, same probably goes for you guys, huh?" A chorus of grunts was his reply, and he smirked. _Look at me. Working on a farm and loving it. No life-or-death fighting, no secrets, no real craziness… wonder what Ranma would say if he saw me now._

The thought of Ranma sobered his face up slightly, but he soon relaxed and leaned against the pen in thought- something he'd done a lot over the past few days. He was still annoyed at some of the things Ranma had done in the past- the attention-grabbing, ignoring other people's feelings(especially his)- but something in his mind was clearing up, and had been since the Purge. _Yeah, he did do a few things that pissed me off big time… but I can't really blame him for everything that's happened to me,_ Ryoga thought silently. _Not his fault I can't find my way out of a room with one door… and I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to knock me into the Jusenkyo springs, hell if I hadn't been so hell bent on beating him up over a schoolyard feud I wouldn't have even been there._ He sighed and looked up at the darkening sky. _Had more honor than I did, too, despite what I've said. He kept quiet about my curse- mostly- and I used it against him. Tried to break those two apart. Tried to…_

He shook his head. "Ranma, you and me are going to have to have another match soon. One last time, for old times' sake." He paused, then laughed bitterly. "Maybe it'll finally knock some sense into my thick skull." He looked down and idly kicked a stone away. _That's it. No more revenge fights. I'm sick of it all… sick of fighting someone who could've been my best friend, and sick of being confused over one thing or another. Ryoga Hibiki is not gonna get lost like that any more!_

A voice lilted through the air from the main house. "Sweetie? Dinner's ready; come on inside before it gets cold!"

Ryoga perked up and smiled. If there was one thing he had learned in the past few days, it was the difference between infatuation and truly caring for someone. He was still stumbling around the issue of love and how to react to it; being away from his own family for so long had stunted his growth in that area, but he just hadn't realized it. Nor had he known until recently the magnitude of Akari's understanding and patience as each day she coaxed him a little further out of his shell. He had thought he was in love with Akane once, but that was all long past. Little by little, he was growing up.

"I'll be right there," he called back before starting for the front door- and walking right into the pig pens. Thankfully, it only took him two more tries to find his way to the dining room, a sheepish grin on his face.

--------------------

That same night found a diminutive and irate martial artist sneaking aboard a boat in Pusan harbor, South Korea. He was fuming not merely because of the manner of his arrival in the country, but also because of what had happened after his arrival. Ranma's kick had been so powerful it had done exactly what he had joked about- sent the pint-sized grandmaster sailing to Seoul. At first he had calmed himself, thinking of all the Korean lovelies he could chase, or exotic 'silky darlings' to add to his collection. What he hadn't counted on was several things happening in succession.

One, he hadn't expected to crash-land through the window of a Seoul retirement home. Two, he hadn't expected a box he had been hiding in his gi to slip loose and break open, scattering its contents in the faces of no less than twenty-five ancient Korean grandmothers.

Three, the box's contents just happened to be his personal stash of Lust Dust.

He had spent a day being chased around Seoul, first by a bevy of suddenly oversexed Cologne clones, then by an army of angry health care workers threatening to have him arrested for trespassing, indecent assault and possession of illicit drugs, among other things. At one point, he had found sanctuary in one of the seedier areas of Seoul, but quickly got chased out of there by several bar hostesses and their resident gorilla-like bouncers. This promptly brought him back into the line of sight of both the health care workers _and_ the ancient ladies afflicted by the Lust Dust…

The experience had rattled him beyond anything he had gone through, and he had spent the rest of the week scrambling across Korea to find a way home. He would have preferred stowing away on a plane, but an unexpected airline strike coupled with a few more angry mob incidents scuttled that plan. And so he had found his way to the shipyards in Pusan, finally locating a cargo vessel heading for Japan. By the time he had finally settled in next to some packing crates, he was tired, hungry, and angry as hell.

"Rrrraaaaaannnmmma m'boy, you're going to pay for this one! NEVER before have I endured so much at the hands of ONE student! I'll teach you to pay me the respect I deserve if it's the _last thing I do!_" growled Happosai as he opened his burglar bag and began stuffing his face with food he had managed to swipe from several restaurants along the way.

--------------------

In a distant place of darkness, a pair of violet eyes opened.

_I feel it. Another bond has been broken- though I would have preferred it had not been by the felling of another of our kin. Still, what's done is done; no use mourning the passing of Sumire for long. And of all those bearing the mark, I felt sure she was the most promising to do her own host in, not the other way around._

_It wasn't terribly surprising that Ogui was dispatched with ease. Stupid Immovable. But Sumire- I had such hopes for that feisty wildcat. Then again, I had hopes for Akureiko as well… and from all reports, the scions are still drawing close to one another._

_I mustn't rely wholly on what you have told me; you and your brothers cannot be everywhere at once._

_Still… all is not lost. Only one bond remains, and whether it falls by human blood or demon blood is of no consequence. Then all will be brought to a head._

_Perhaps now would be the time to bring other players back into the game. I feel it through your eyes; one is already stirring, ready to make a move. _

_See to it. Let the pawn make his move._

The green-eyed imp bowed low and disappeared into the darkness.

To Be Continued…

--------------------

Author's Note 8/14/05: First off, one reason for the slight delay of this chapter arose due to a hardware problem- thunderstorms and motherboards don't mix. An emergency data recovery coupled with a replacement computer was the highlight of the past week and a half; fortunately I didn't lose much.

And now, I know you're all asking it. Did they or didn't they? What happened when the washroom door closed? Well, quite simply, I'm not going to tell you, but I will ask you to consider the following about Akane and Ranma. Two teens who have known each other over a year and started things off when they saw each other in the buff by accident on their first meeting. Over that year they've been pushed together by their approving parents, been through countless life-or-death situations, and though they vehemently denied it, began to develop very strong feelings for one another. (It has been evidenced on at least one occasion that Akane has had dreams about Ranma, including mumbling his name in her sleep. Furthermore, she was often the first to think _he_ was thinking something perverted, when he often wasn't or didn't intend to. Perhaps _she_ was the one having such thoughts, thinking that he was thinking them- food for thought, eh?) So, here we have two 17-year olds who by now have admitted their feelings for each other, are coming down off an adrenaline rush after fighting a demon, no interrupting third parties around… what with all the sexual tension already established in the Ranmaverse, I leave it to you to decide what happened when the changing room door closed.

(Just try to keep it clean, folks- this is a PG-13 piece after all.)

King of Chaos, Priestess Kohana, Expired Doughnuts, hashiba42, Drkjester, piper: Thank you for your support.

Martrex: As far as a Nerima chapter of Hunters, if that were to happen keep in mind the bloodlines- meaning unless the others have dormant Hunter blood, they'd be honorary Hunters at best. But it is food for thought- stay tuned.

Wonderbee31: Yes, Ranma did have to think over the effects of that kill, especially given his previous experience with Saffron. Seemed to me he would have some worries, but hopefully nothing lasting. Hope you enjoyed.

Kayemsi: Thank you for the compliment; as for Ukyo noticing Shingen, yes, there is a little bit of that going on- though whether it's because of rebound from Ranma has yet to be seen. (Still, Shingen did put himself in harm's way to save her twice…)

Puppkid: You're not far off in your guess re: Mousse's glasses. Glad you like this story, and hopefully the WAFF didn't put you off too much.

Borg rabbit: Not a bad description of what happened when Ranma used the wakizashi while in the Umisen. I knew typically it was a thief-style technique, but add an extra step or a weapon and the line between thief and assassin can blur.

AmnarJoey: Glad you enjoyed; I usually try and write fight scenes with music playing; gives me an idea of pacing. Nice to see the pacing worked.

Lerris: As for Akane being exhausted- while she was tired from the workout, adrenaline and a ki rush sometimes work wonders when you need it the most. For the demon giving them trouble- it was blocked by a warding pendant for some time and when given a chance to bust loose, it did so with a vengeance. Finally, there is a method behind the madness of the one pulling the puppet strings- though in this case an underestimation of their rate of development resulted in the yamaneko's loss.

Dragon Man 180: You'll have to wait and see about Mousse's demon, and don't worry- Ryoga will get a chance to shine at some point.

Delta-Theta: Glad you liked the accidental Lasik; the idea popped into my head and I just couldn't let it go.

Taro MD: Yep, that had to hurt. Glad you liked the battle; I try to improve with each fight I write.

The-Shadow002: Glad you liked it; I'll try and take a look at your story when I get a chance.

Ranma-fanatic04: I will try to get back to some of the wackiness, but this is a Drama/Romance, so it may be somewhat light. Stay tuned.

DawnLove: Thank you very much for your kind words; I may not be an expert on this series but I guess I can fake it well enough. I have written several other fics on this site, but totally original works take far too long for me. Maybe in a few more years, though.

Tkdl: I try to update every 2-3 weeks, but sometimes things happen- like computers dying.

Fotoguy: Just got around to your latest chapters; I sent a review off already. Thanks for the support; yes, Mousse isn't quite as flaky as he has been previously, but he's had some growing up to do as well- like most of the characters. As for Konatsu- I'm not going to indicate one way or the other. Something may happen to a character, but whether it's him… and as for the Neko-ken, only time will tell if that gets dealt with.

Warlord2005: Not a bashing fan either; glad you liked my treatment of the fight. Re: Shingen and Ukyo, something might be happening… and Happosai will return at some point, I promise. Sorry, don't know about the crossover fic you mentioned.

The Steel Phoenix: Glad to know my work was appreciated. Thanks for your support.

As always, I'll try to get something up in 2-3 weeks, but if a delay occurs, forgive me. Next chapter- a bout of on-the-job training as a local kendoist does something very stupid- and you thought the Phoenix egg would have taught him his lesson! Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	26. Demons and Dummies

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I'd like to reiterate something I said once at the beginning of this story. I'm no expert on the canon, I'm just here to have a little fun with a plot that formed in my head one day. If parts of it are too cliché or don't mesh perfectly with the canon, I'm sorry. I only hope what I write is enjoyable to read. That said, on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 26: Demons and Dummies

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The old man shuffled through the cramped confines of the curio shop, grumbling all the way with his customer hot on his heels. It was early morning and he had hardly expected to be roused from his bed at this hour- on a weekend no less- but the customer had been most insistent and had promised just compensation for his time, and in the end, after much arguing, he had begrudgingly given in. "Young man, this is preposterous," he was saying, threading his way back towards a set of long shelves. "I fail to see why you should want something from my store that could backfire upon you. You went through it once before when I sold you that egg; must we go through such pain once again? Besides, surely there must be another store that would furnish something suitable."

The tall young man in kendo clothes shook his head. "Nay, verily I doubt any other store might have what I need," he replied in a cold tone. "I have already sent my loyal minion Sasuke to scour the ward, and all efforts have been for naught. I know, too, the risks of seeking aid from the unknown, but for honor to be well and truly satisfied I shall do what I must. Surely you would not turn away the request of one who has suffered greatly at the hands of a _most_ unrighteous creature?"

The old man shook his head and sighed, boggling at his customer's speech patterns. "Very well, young sir… I will show you what I have, but I fear there is not much to my stock."

"I will take what I can," Kuno replied, folding his arms. _Among all these ancient treasures must surely reside what I need. Yea, the Phoenix Egg was a trifling error in judgment; I should have known to seek out power in the Soul of the Samurai proper, rather than such a trinket. I shalt not make the same mistake twofold. Not at a time like this… not when that vile, accursed beast Saotome must be dealt with for his most heinous crimes._

_Is it not enough that he wrests the heart of the fair Akane from my grasp? Nay, he goes further still… toying with the heart of mine sister… and worse still… he… that fiend… that unholy fiend, to make ME, Tatewaki Kuno, QUESTION MINE OWN MASCULINITY!_

Kuno shivered in his inner rant and clenched his fist. _Of all things- to pervert the common order of things, waltzing from one gender to the next, toying with the hearts and minds of man and woman alike!_ A cold rage began to build in his eyes, unnoticed by the shopkeeper. _To think that all this time I have been pining over NOT a red-headed woman, but a… a MAN! I shall never forgive him for this… this DISGUSTING affront to my own manhood… nor shall he be forgiven the condition of my most twisted sister. Days now, she has laid abed, no words save the occasional bout of laughter or the fiend's name. They say she may never fully recover from such a shock as this… twisted though she may be, she did not deserve such a shock…_

"Young master? Here is what I have, though I must refrain from letting you have one or two of these… young master?"

Kuno blinked and shook himself out of his reverie. "Forgive me, humble vendor, I was lost in thought." He looked up and found they had arrived at the back of the store, near a long rack adorned with a series of ancient-looking, mostly ornamental weapons. Several katanas were set in decorative stands alongside a series of wakizashi and no less than five tantos.

"These are what I have," said the old man, "but I must confess that I don't see why you would want such an item in this day and age. These are curios _only_. _Not_ killing tools. I won't have my shop caught up in such matters."

Kuno shook his head. "Old man… this is a matter of honor between houses. There are those still who hold deeply to the tenets of the samurai, and House Kuno is one such household. Honor must be satisfied, and I needs must obtain a weapon befitting an honor duel." _I dare not sully the family blade with Saotome's blood… not when there may be one within these walls that will serve my purpose far better, if Sasuke's information was right._

The old man just sighed and gave Kuno a pitying look. _Poor young fellow, caught up in delusions of grandeur. Honor duels? In these times? Probably off in a dream world of his own, like most of that family; he'll spend the day 'killing' straw dummies in his backyard, most likely. Oh well… so long as the money's good, I suppose it's really none of my business…_ Just then Kuno stepped forward and picked up a katana on the far end of the rack, holding it up to the light. The old man's eyes widened. "Wait a minute there, young fellow…"

Kuno's eyes brightened at the sight before him. The katana was old, to be sure, but had been kept so well it looked almost new. Light danced off the polished steel of the tsuba and pommel, throwing sharp relief on ancient words carved into the metal. The royal blue of the sheath matched the cord wrappings of the hilt, marred only by the elegant figures cut into the sheath, depicting a noble warrior leading several brutish warriors into battle. Kuno's fingers brushed along the hilt and he shivered, feeling a sudden rush of power.

"This blade likes me well," he murmured, eyes taking in the runes and kanji engraved on the tsuba and sheath. He traced a set of characters with his thumb and smiled grimly. _"The Sword of Ogres…"_

"Young sir, you do not want this," the old man admonished. "This sword is here for display only; it's not for sale."

"Not for sale?" Kuno looked up with steel in his eyes. "I do not want this? How dare you dictate what the firstborn of House Kuno does or does not desire?" He gripped the sheathed sword and lifted it up. "This sword calls out to me like none other that I have wielded; had I known you had such a masterpiece before, I might have foregone the purchase of that accursed Phoenix Egg! Tell me now, peasant- what is this, this 'Sword of Ogres'?"

The old man sighed. "Sir, I promise you, you must not mix yourself in things you do not understand. There are tales behind that sword… tales of it passing down through the hands of great warriors, fine men to be sure, but ultimately doomed because they failed to control it. They say the sword is a tool of great destruction and power, that it brought about much trouble long ago in the time of Nobunaga." He paused, then shook his head. "Of course, they are all rumors and tall tales, but that sword has remained in my shop for many a year, and it will _stay_ in my shop. I trust not its reputation- especially not after the Egg Incident."

Neither man noticed a smallish green-eyed figure creeping along the ceiling, just behind Kuno's head, translucent and silent as night. Nor did they notice it drop down, hovering in midair behind the tall kendoist, and whisper something in his ear before disappearing completely with a faint whisper of a giggle. Kuno's brow knitted and he gazed at the katana once more.

"I have faced many a trial in my life for the sake of honor," Kuno said sternly. "I am well aware of potential consequences. But I shall not rest until the one who has wronged me has paid the price- and for that, only such a weapon as this will suffice." His grip on the sheath tightened. "Against the infidel's sorcerous ways, I needs must fight fire with fire. I _will_ have this sword."

"I appreciate your conviction, young man," said the shopkeeper, holding his hands up, "but I repeat, that sword is not for sale! Not even if you hit me in the face with a bundle of money! I learned my lesson last time when I sold you that egg, the same method won't work twice on me!"

A moment later, the shopkeeper reeled back, having been hit in the face with two bundles of money. "Sold."

--------------------

That same morning found Akane slowly stirring awake, eyelids fluttering as she reluctantly left her dreams behind. She didn't want to wake up yet; the warmth of her pajamas and her bunk sheets was far too comforting to leave so soon. Gradually, though, she grew more and more awake- and more aware of the comforting embrace she was in, much nicer than one might expect from a thin set of sheets. Her eyes opened in mild surprise as she looked up. "Oh… yeah," she whispered to herself as a smile and a blush grew on her face. "So it wasn't just a dream."

She reached up and brushed her fingers along Ranma's left forearm, which was draped almost protectively over her shoulder. _I remember now… falling asleep in the same bunk,_ she thought. For a moment, old memories prodded at the back of her mind, memories of all the times they'd found themselves in similar circumstances, each one ending with him eating one of her knuckle sandwiches. She shuddered at the thought and rested her hand on his chest, cursing her temper for all the wounds she'd inflicted on him over the past year- wounds she'd glimpsed through some of their practices with the Astral Link, wounds that until now she had no idea had gone so deep.

Akane shook the thought out of her head and gazed up at his sleeping face tenderly. _Ranma… you really are something, you know? I just wish I'd seen it sooner… all the little signs that showed you cared, even if you got them mixed up with your idiot dad's manners training… gods, we really are a pair, aren't we?_ She snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes. _All that wasted time… oh Kami, if I'd only known… we might have gotten around to last night so much sooner…_

She blushed again at the memories, then let herself sink further into his chest. Her fingers lightly brushed along his arm one last time, tracing over muscles that had broken stone and slain beings of great power- but still had the capacity for gentleness- and all for her sake. _Mmm… I could really get used to this._

A moment or two later, Ranma's eyes cracked open. He blinked once or twice, then settled on the sleeping girl on his chest. "Uh… wha…" he started to say before his own memory decided to give him a nudge. "Oh, yeah. Uh… wow…" Now it was his turn to blush as he settled back down onto the pillow, not wanting to disturb Akane. He let his head sink back and a smile crossed his lips. _So it wasn't all a dream… thank the Kami,_ he thought. _Man… I could get used to waking up like this…_

A moment later both their eyes snapped open; their subconscious minds began screaming of an impending danger. _INCOMING!_ Instinct flared, muscles coiled and the two teens sprang apart in opposite directions, rolling backwards out of the bed just as a large glassful of cold water was emptied over the mattress.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads; I think you've had enough rest this morning."

Ranma scrambled up into a defensive crouch and glared at the source of the offending deluge. "Dammit, Shingen! Whadja do that for?"

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Akane spat, flipping her bangs out of her eyes. "What're you trying to do, drown us or something?"

"First off," Shingen replied, balancing the glass on one finger, "I was testing your subconscious reaction time, gauging how fast you two could react in a semi-wakened state. Secondly," he added, tossing the glass aside, "you can't spend the whole morning asleep; it's 8 AM already and we've got work to do."

Ranma groaned. "You could've just set an alarm clock or something."

"Tried those. Don't like 'em," Shingen replied. He crossed over to the kitchenette and grabbed a few breakfast bars out of the upper cabinet. "You two might as well get cleaned up, then join me out on the training floor when you've changed and had a bite. We've got a lot to cover before we head back to the dojo," he said, tossing the breakfast bars to them.

"Geez, give us a chance to wake up at least; it's not like we're in that big of a hurry, is it?" Akane mumbled, looking at the cereal bar glumly. _Though I have missed Kasumi's cooking; this instant garbage is getting a little old._

"I told you both going into this that this was a crash course, didn't I? Besides, you two ought to be rested enough; you were sound asleep by the time I came back last night." Shingen shot them a sly look. "Got some extra training in while I was out, did you?"

Both teens turned beet red. "What's THAT supposed to mean?" they shot back simultaneously.

"Nothing," Shingen replied with an innocent look. "Nothing at all. Now go get cleaned and changed; I'm not going easy on you today."

Ranma was the first one to shake off his shock. "Heh, wouldn't want you to go easy on us anyway, man; how else you expect us to learn all this Hunter junk if ya don't test us a bit?"

Shingen nodded. "That's what I was hoping you'd say." He turned on his heel and headed out to the training floor. "Don't take too long," he added, closing the door behind him.

A moment of silence passed.

Akane slowly stood up, picked up her backpack and found a clean gi and some underwear. "So…"

Ranma scratched the back of his head and did likewise, taking a moment to straighten out his tank top. "Yeah… so."

Akane flushed slightly and looked up. "You think he knows about… you know."

Ranma shrugged. "Beats me… but we were kinda sharin' the same bunk, so… I dunno."

_Yeah… same here,_ Akane replied, opening up a Link with him and stepping closer. _I just hope to Kami that if he does know, he at least keeps his damn mouth shut…_ Her thoughts fell silent through the Link and she looked at the floor.

Part of her was becoming more than a bit nervous- she wasn't sure what Ranma's feelings were going to be now that they were fully awake, and it was scaring her. Even with what they had admitted to each other over the past week, and the barriers they had begun to break down between them, she was still scared of some form of rejection or regret, despite everything she had felt from him via the Astral Link the previous night. _It wasn't a mistake, I know it… but did I… did I push things too fast? What if… what if he doesn't… _She almost failed to notice a look of concern pass Ranma's face, only catching it when he stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

_Acchan… if I know Shingen, he'll understand that whatever happens between us is our own business. Not his, not anyone else's._ He reached up with his other hand and brushed her hair to the side. _And as for what did happen… I wouldn't change it for the world._

Akane blinked. _You… you mean that?_ she replied. _I… I thought you might think I'd pushed things last night, that maybe I went too far. I didn't want to catch you off guard, Ranma, I just… I don't know… I just wanted to show you how much I…_

_I know, Acchan. It's okay; I was a little thrown at first… but I'd be lyin' if I said I hadn't had thoughts about it for some time._ He smiled slightly, prompting a giggle from her before turning serious again._ That was our time. For you and me, not for anyone else's sake. Maybe a little sooner than I expected… but I already told you. I wouldn't change it for anything._

Akane stood silent for a moment, then smiled and nodded, brushing a tear out of her eye before giving Ranma a quick hug and a kiss. "I wouldn't change it either, you sweet baka."

"Kawaii tomboy," he replied, mussing her hair up slightly. "C'mon, let's go get cleaned up; we've got a big day ahead of us." Akane giggled and the two of them ducked into the washroom.

--------------------

"So you managed to talk to yer old man about that stuff I mentioned yesterday?" Ranma asked, hitting a neighboring rooftop with ease and pulling into a crouch.

"Yeah, we were finishing up just before you guys and Shampoo busted the door open," Shingen replied from the other side of the same roof. "Fact is, it was a valid concern given our lack of presence in that area."

"So what happens now?" called Akane from a third corner of the roof, adjusting the training weight on her right ankle and catching her breath. "Do we just leave well enough alone, or is it more urgent than that?"

A momentary break in the clouds let the sun out for a moment, highlighting the sheen of sweat on both Akane's and Ranma's forehead. They had been training for nearly three hours straight- an hour-long Astral Link session which had been little more than a lecture on recognizing demonic auras, then aura manifestation exercises, followed by a sparring session which gave both teens a chance to attempt a series of coordinated attacks. This was in turn followed by weight training- more intense than normal due to the extra weight on their extremities- and had finally culminated in their current exercise, rooftop and airborne sparring. To Ranma, this seemed just a more intense and focused version of what he and his dad did on a regular basis, while Akane was thrilled to be expanding her range beyond the Tendo school of ground-based fighting.

Shingen drew himself into a ready position, holding his naginata forward with the blade still sheathed. "From what I understand, for the most part there should be little risk of incidents like Ranma's or Shampoo's occurring; Father said the scrolls indicate the majority of infections rarely advance beyond odd behavioral quirks. That Jusenkyo swordsman with dual personalities, for example; I told you about him when I first got here." Suddenly his knees tensed and he became a blur. Akane grabbed the pole of the weapon as it came towards her and used it as a springboard, flipping herself into the air and lashing out with a back kick at his head. Shingen spun, deflected with his left forearm and the two traded punches and kicks for four seconds before separating, landing on opposite corners.

"Yeah, but what about some of the other freaks that came stompin' this way?" Ranma asked, jumping into the fray himself. He struck out with a side kick followed by a reverse roundhouse; Shingen countered with his weapon both times and thrust at Ranma's feet. Ranma jumped over the naginata and aimed an elbow at Shingen's head, which was countered by one of his gloves' ki shields. Shingen slung his weapon over his back and his fists began to fly, only to be blocked every single time by a palm block from Ranma. "Fact is, if there's a chance that moron Taro could go bonkers, I think I'd rather play safe than sorry," he added as they sprang apart.

"I understand that, and if we'd had a stronger presence in China ages back the whole thing might've been a moot point," Shingen replied, adjusting his bandanna. "We were just too tied up in our own affairs here in Japan to be able to investigate properly- affairs a hell of a lot worse than Jusenkyo, I might add. As is, Father did manage to contact the closest clan to China, and they might be able to investigate and help us out."

"One of the other clans here in Japan?" Akane asked, stretching out her arms and adjusting the wrapped bundle on her back; Shingen had mentioned weapon practice later in the day, and both she and Ranma were carrying certain wakizashi on their backs.

"Not exactly; the other clans had more pressing matters to tend to- more serious even than the chaos stream in this ward, actually," the taller man said. "That's just the way it is sometimes- the more serious issues usually take priority when it comes to our targets."

"So who'd he find, then?"

"An old Hunter clan from Russia… Siberia, to be exact."

Akane blinked. "Siberia? _That's_ the closest they could get?"

"I told you, we can't be everywhere at once and our numbers are few enough as it is," said Shingen in a hard tone. "In fact, Father was lucky to find them at all; their clan went into hiding many decades ago when one of its Hunters abandoned the Code and began using his bloodline power for personal gain. Practically ruined their family's reputation- not to mention that of the Romanov Dynasty…" He paused. "Wait a moment."

Ranma blinked and was about to ask what the deal was, when suddenly something caught the corner of his eye. "Ah…"

"You felt it too," Akane murmured, following something with her eyes as she dropped into a ready stance.

"This is nothing. Just our usual pests," said Shingen, cracking his knuckles. The air near each of them shimmered ever so slightly- then flared briefly as six imps popped out of thin air, two to each of them, cackling inanely and flapping their wings in each fighter's face.

Five seconds later they were all powder. Shingen had grabbed two by their heads and slammed them into each other so hard it sounded like a shotgun went off. Ranma had blazed through both his attackers with an almost bored-looking Amaguriken barrage, while Akane took out the last stragglers with one lightning swing of her ubiquitous mallet.

"Heh. That was almost too easy," Ranma quipped, dusting his hands off.

"That's because you're coming into more of your power, most likely," said Shingen as he straightened his jacket. "You felt their presence before they did anything, right?"

"Yeah," said Akane. "It wasn't like this the first time, when the training hall was getting trashed."

"You can say that again." Ranma let out a breath and turned back to face Shingen again. "So… this clan you were mentioning, they're gonna look into things over there?"

"They'll do what they can; from what I understand they've handled more serious incidents in the past, so they shouldn't have too much trouble if they encounter anything of note." Shingen took two quick steps and leaped to the next house, picking up the pace as he landed.

"Well, that's good to know," said Akane, following suit; she landed somewhat roughly but recovered and began sprinting just behind him with Ranma right next to her. "So how'd things check out with Shampoo last night?"

"Just fine; her aura stabilized after a while and I think she'll recover quickly."

"Ya sure were out late, pal; you didn't have to spend _that_ much time checkin' her out, didja?"

Shingen raised an eyebrow and looked back over his shoulder. "No, I didn't have to spend that much time on that, Ranma; I had to stop and ask the Elder a few questions, plus I put a call in to the dojo to check up on things back there." He sighed and shook his head. "You're not going to believe this- your father's still stuck with his panda body."

"HUH? Ya mean he wound up the same way as me?"

"No, apparently he can't control the shift like you. All that thrashing he did on the casting circle botched the job; pulled the spirit out, left the curse."

Ranma slowed for a moment in shock, then shook his head and picked up the pace as the three jumped from one rooftop to another in quick succession. "Geez, old man… can't get anything done right, can you…" he muttered to himself. _Though I gotta admit, it sorta serves him right. An' it's not like he really hated that damn panda body anyway…_

Akane chuckled silently to herself as a similar thought entered her mind, followed by another thought that made her slow down and blink. "Still… you were gone an awful long time for just a few questions and a phone call; did something come up?"

"Nothing major. Stopped for dinner at Miss Kuonji's on the way back."

Akane blinked. "You stopped over at Ukyo's?"

"Oh yeah, she almost got caught in some o' that mess, too," Ranma mused. He blinked once, surprised at himself. _Hey… why the hell didn't I remember that? She coulda been really hurt if she'd gotten pulled into that mess!_ "So how was she? She didn't get too rattled or nothin' by that fight, did she?"

"From what I could tell, she seemed fine." Shingen shrugged as he slowed down and came to stop on top of a two-story house. "We didn't really talk about it all that much. Just had something to eat, that's all." He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and gazed out over the skyline. "I think she figured she owed me or something."

"Owed you?" Akane asked. She frowned for a moment, then shook it off as she remembered the events of the previous evening. _That's right, I think he kept a ki blast from hitting her during that fight. And he already fought off something else… I think he said it was a Reaver… so that's twice he saved her…_ A moment or two passed before an odd thought entered her mind, prompting a silly smirk as well. "Well, I guess Ukyo may be getting her wish after all."

Ranma gave Akane an odd look. "What're you talking about, 'kane?"

"Oh, nothing… just that she's probably wanted a 'knight in shining armor' to come to her aid and save her in a time of need," she replied in a slightly teasing tone. "Though she probably was hoping it'd be you, Ranma…"

"Knock it off, Akane," Ranma retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, lighten up! I'm just having some fun here!"

"I don't suppose we could save that sort of fun for some other time, then?" Shingen interjected, a slight edge to his voice. "It was dinner, and it went on a little late, that's all. Nothing more to it, so could we just get back to what we were doing? You don't see me prying into _your_ personal affairs, do you?" Akane immediately flushed and shook her head no; Ranma did likewise. "Alright then. There should be a vacant lot a few blocks from here; we'll be able to go through some weapon katas without much trouble. Then we…"

He trailed off, eyes snapping to attention at a point just beyond the next three buildings. "Hold it."

"Huh? What's the big deal now…" Ranma began before a sudden chill washed over him. His eyes widened, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Akane was reacting much the same way. A pulse of energy echoed around him, a vicious throb of energy that chilled him much the same way the yamaneko's presence had chilled him the previous day. It wasn't nearly as strong, but the unmistakable taint of darkness was all around them. Ranma focused for a moment, extending his juvenile aura senses before recoiling a step; the sudden rush of sensory perception threatened to make him gag.

"Good gods, what is that?" said Akane in a small voice. "It's not the same as that curse demon… but it still feels pretty bad…"

"It's coming from that vacant lot, whatever it is," muttered Shingen as he yanked his naginata off his back. "Looks like we get to have some hands-on training… and not just an imp, either."

--------------------

The young kendoist held the polished steel blade aloft in one hand, smiling as he tested its balance and heft. "Yes… most perfect indeed," he murmured as he swung the katana twice, then brought it back up in a warrior's salute. A barely perceptible violet aura trickled along the length of the blade, making it throb in time to Kuno's pulse. Gripping the sword in both hands, he turned and swung once through the air. A rush of energy thrilled through his arms as countless blades of grass fell apart several feet from where he stood.

"Verily, I may have found my finest blade yet," he declared haughtily. He lifted the sword and sheathed it dramatically, then turned and stared face-first into the wind. _Now should the warlike Kuno, like himself, assume the port of Mars… and at his heels, leash'd in like hounds, should Famine, Sword, and Fire crouch for employment!_ He began to chuckle, eventually turning towards a full-fledged nigh-psychotic laugh.

"M-master Kuno, are you sure you wish to pursue this path once more? I'm not terribly fond of the way that new sword makes me feel… n-not that it's not a _magnificent_ addition to your collection, of course… but I'd still feel better if you used something less… _creepy_," Sasuke piped up, cringing near an outcropping of rocks.

"Had I wanted your opinion, wretch, I would have asked," Kuno retorted, drawing the sword in salute once more. "I feel the _hunger_ of this sword… it matches mine own hunger for vengeance, and soon I shall whet my appetite upon the cretinous Saotome once and for all!"

"Still spoutin' off at the mouth, are ya, Blue Blunder?"

Kuno's eyes narrowed and he spun around in a ready stance. Ranma was approaching him from the near side of the vacant lot, with Akane beside him and Shingen a few steps behind. Ranma straightened his red shirt and brushed an errant hair out of his eye. "Didn't expect to find ya out and about today; what's going on?"

"YOU!" Kuno growled, his grip on the sword tightening. "You miserable excuse for a human being, how dare you show your face before me!"

"Hey, you're the one who wanted ta 'whet your appetite for vengeance' on me; thought you'd want me to make the job easier." Kuno took a deep breath at Ranma's remark, reining his temper in bit by bit as he tried to recollect all the runes he had read on the katana's scabbard. "Whatsamatter, you still sore over the whole 'pig-tailed girl' thing?"

"Ranma, you don't have to rub it in," Akane said, giving Ranma a look that attempted to convey a scolding. Unfortunately, the smirk she was sporting ruined the effect and only caused Kuno's eyes to flare with anger again. Shingen said nothing, but his eyes scoured the blade in Kuno's hand thoroughly from tip to pommel.

"Thou hast no idea the dreams I have endured these past few days, you degenerate," Kuno said in a soft, menacing tone. "What manner of beast art thou, to trade thine gender as one might trade a school lunch! And worse, to use it to deceive and beguile any person you set your wicked sights upon!"

"Hey, it's not like I could help it before, moron! And what the hell're you talkin' about, 'deceiving and beguiling'? I was trying hard as hell to _get away_ from people like you and your crazy sister!"

"And I'm not so sure I like the idea of you calling _my fiancé _wicked, Kuno!" Akane snapped, hands on her hips. "Sure, he can be thoughtless sometimes, or rude, or a lot more blunt than you might want him to be, but at least he doesn't have the damn _stalker's mentality_ that you do! And he's a lot more honorable than you seem to think or give him credit for, too!"

_Hey! I'm tryin' to cut down on the rude stuff, Acchan, you know it and I know it!_

_Oops,_ Akane 'thought' back to Ranma. _Sorry, I was just trying to drive the point home with him._

"Believe what you wish, my fair Akane Tendo," said Kuno with a condescending smile. "But I shall not rest until this… MONGREL has paid in full for his effrontery to the Kuno clan as a whole and to myself and mine sister in particular!" He dropped into a battle stance, sword thrust forward resolutely. "From the depths of my pain and anguish, I shall SMITE THEE!"

"Heh. Just try and pull it off, but after this I'm not playin' with you anymore," Ranma shot back coolly, settling into a loose stance. "This is the absolute last time you and I rumble, Kuno."

"Better watch that sword of his, my friend," Shingen piped up suddenly. "You know there's much more to it than meets the eye."

Ranma glanced back and gave Shingen a serious nod. _I know, man. I felt it too… that katana's got some kinda life of its own. Gotta be what we felt a second ago. Just gotta make sure he doesn't get a chance to use it._

Akane sighed and stepped away from the imminent duel. _Just like Kuno to get his hands on another damned magic sword._ She paused a moment, then smirked. _Still, he won't know what he and I have been up to the past few days. I almost pity the moron; Ranma's gonna pound him so fast he won't…_

"NOW!" Kuno bellowed, springing forward at the exact second Ranma did. The katana blazed through the air with speed unprecedented by anything Ranma had seen him do before. Ranma's eyes widened and he ducked an instant before the blade connected with his neck. A quick shift in his grip and Kuno slashed in the opposite direction, aiming for Ranma's stomach. Ranma executed a back handspring and flipped away, but upon landing noticed his shirt had been cut cleanly across the grain, leaving a gaping hole in the cloth. Akane gasped.

"What the hell… ah geez, you wrecked my favorite shirt," Ranma groaned, gritting his teeth and glaring at Kuno with a critical eye. _I don't like this… that was fast, even for him…_

"You seem surprised, fiend," Kuno spat. "But I have not yet expended a fraction of the power at my disposal. Rest assured, I _will_ settle things between us, here and now!" The two warriors lunged at each other once again; Akane unconsciously clenched her fists while Shingen kept his focus on Kuno's sword. Kuno slashed madly at Ranma's face, chest and knees several times; each strike was only narrowly evaded, and in two instances came dangerously close, leaving shallow cuts and a few lines of blood in their wake. Ranma dropped and executed a spinning ground kick, smacking into the back of Kuno's ankle and sending him to the ground. Kuno rolled as he fell, staggering to his feet just as Ranma sprang at him and began punching rapidly at his knuckles. Kuno snapped the katana to attention just in time, blocking Ranma's punches with the tsubo or the flat of the blade.

"I must say, you are giving me good sport, miserable cur," he sneered, lashing out in a diagonal slash that Ranma leaped away from at the last second.

"You ain't so bad yourself, now that yer relyin' on some stupid magic katana to fight your battles," Ranma retorted, snapping his right leg out at Kuno's hands again only to be blocked once more. "Are you really so lousy that you gotta cheat to win? Is that all that matters, Blue Bonehead?"

"STOP IT!" Kuno raged, executing his pattern strike at a speed easily doubling his highest pace to date. Ranma blanched and began dodging like a madman, discovering rapidly that Kuno's strikes weren't as easy to dodge as they had been before. Biting his lower lip, Ranma extended his battle aura outward, focusing it for one brief instant into his hands, just long enough for him to reach into the pattern strike and slap his palms together, trapping the blade.

"Ranma!" Akane shouted. "Stop fooling around with him and just knock him out already!" _I don't think you can afford to toy with him, not the way he's moving with that sword in his hands!_

_You don't think I know that already?_ Ranma replied through the Link. _I've been trying to knock the damn thing out of his grip, but the jerk won't give it up!_ His grip on the blade tightened slightly, and he could feel a burning sensation as the violet miasma along the blade began to sear at his flesh. With a grunt, he shoved the sword away violently. Kuno staggered back, but did not drop the blade. "That does it. Time to kick it into high gear!" Ranma murmured, ripping the training weights off his ankles and wrists.

Kuno barely had enough time to re-assume battle stance before Ranma burst forward again. He sneered at first, but the expression was quickly replaced by astonishment and fear as Ranma began an all-out assault on the kendoist's arms, hands and feet. Fist and foot cracked against flesh, bone and steel for several long moments as the two warriors exchanged blow upon blow. By the time the two separated to catch their breath, Ranma's clothing had been sheared in a few more places and Kuno was sporting a massive shiner over his left eye.

"It would seem… you have improved some… since last we fought," Kuno gasped.

"Heh. I'm just getting warmed up," Ranma shot back with a cocky smile. "C'mon, you know this is pointless, man, just give it up already!"

"NEVER!" Kuno drew himself up to his full height and held the sword up high. "I shall never concede defeat to a common vermin such as yourself! Not while there is breath in my body… and the appropriate tools of warfare at my disposal!" He snapped his head around, looking behind him to his left. "SASUKE!"

The ninja's head popped up from behind the pile of rocks. "Y-yes, Master Kuno? You wish something of me?"

"Indeed… I want you as witness to the awesome power contained within this blade. The power that has put me on equal footing with this fiend, if not more so!" He swung the blade so that it faced point downward, towards the ground. "Truly, let us see if the Sword of Ogres lives up to its name! Now, _grant me thine power!_" With a grin on his face, he plunged the tip of the blade into the earth before him.

A violent screech ripped through the air, making Akane and Sasuke wince as green light boiled up from the spot where the blade pierced the ground. Gusts of wind kicked up at random, blowing grit into Ranma's eyes and flipping his torn shirt around and about. Kuno grinned as a black, bulbous shape bubbled up within the green light, finally bursting upward and coming to rest beside the sword. A second black blob followed suit, and a third as well before Kuno withdrew the katana from the ground and held it aloft dramatically. Quickly the winds died down and the green light vanished. Slowly eyes reopened- and stared.

Standing next to Kuno were three great beast-like beings. Standing eight feet tall, they looked roughly humanoid, with reddish skin that was rippling with muscle from head to toe. Each of the beast-men sported a mane of shaggy black hair, bulbous yellow eyes, and horns that just barely peeked out from beneath their black locks. All three wore identical tiger-skin loincloths, and each one was wielding a club the size of Sasuke, who had suddenly disappeared.

Kuno stared at them momentarily in shock- then grinned wickedly. "I see… so _this_ is what the scabbard script entailed." He gazed upon the blade of the katana proudly. "Truly you are a tool of great power, to summon forth allies such as this."

Akane stared in horror. "What the… what did he just do?"

"Dammit," Shingen growled. "That's not just some enchanted sword; it must be acting as a Gate Key."

"Gate Key?"

"Something- a weapon, jewel, piece of cloth, whatever- that can open a portal between this world and another," he continued. "Very rare, and very hard to find, even for a Hunter. And it looks like this key's brought us a few Oni to play with."

"Lovely," Ranma said, wiping his brow. "That's pretty damn low even for you, Kuno. Makin' a deal with the Dark Side, are we?"

"If it takes the forces of hell to defeat thee, then so be it," said Kuno emotionlessly. He turned and looked up at the ogre to his left. "Forward, minions, and punish yon vile charlatan immediately!"

Ranma pulled back into a defensive stance. Akane pulled up her sleeves and clenched her fists. _If Kuno's not fighting alone, then neither is Ranma,_ she thought to herself.

The ogre looked at Kuno and scratched his head. He looked at the second ogre, then the third. Both of them looked back at him but said nothing. He looked at Kuno again.

"Uhh… punish what?"

Kuno's eyes widened. "I _said_, punish the charlatan at once!" he snapped, wagging his head in Ranma's general direction. Ranma and Akane promptly sweatdropped.

"Charli-what?" "Whuzzat?" "Don' lookit me…" The three ogres began babbling at once, their eyes dull and confused. One would point at another, who would point at the third, who would in turn point at the first two; none of them seemed to know what the word meant. Nor did they notice the effect their inane discussion was having on their surprised summoner.

"What is the meaning of this?" said a very agitated Kuno. "I invoke the power of the sword… and are promptly rewarded with a group of incompetent APES?" His grip on the sword tightened until his knuckles began to turn white, and for a moment he stood and silently ranted and raged- not noticing that the ogres had stopped talking and were looking right at him.

"He call us apes…" "Puny human uses lotta big words…" "Don't like him…"

Kuno spun on his heel and faced the trio, his face livid. "Now LISTEN to me! I'll put it in terms even an incompetent ignoramus can understand!" He pointed at one of the ogre's clubs. "USE!" He pointed at his brow. "HEAD!" He spun around and pointed at Ranma. "NOW!"

The three ogres nodded in unison and proceeded to follow his directions- to the letter. Kuno found himself on the receiving end of three clubs to the top of his head, one after another. He wobbled unsteadily and staggered forward, sporting a basketball-sized lump on his melon and visions of Akane and girl-type Ranma dancing around his eyes.

Shingen smirked. "The one thing about Oni- they're tough, but they're dumb as rocks." Ranma burst out laughing, while Akane stared for a second before joining him as Kuno wheeled and stumbled around on the grass like a circus clown. Eventually, the call of gravity became too great and he flopped, rather ingloriously, onto a patch of earth right in the midst of the three ogres. As he did, his grip on the sword failed and it dropped, point-first, into a grassy patch beside one ogre's foot.

All at once, the violent screeching sound returned, cutting everyone's laughter short. Akane's head shot up and her eyes widened at the sight of the green light bursting out of the grass once again. This time, the light was brighter, the screech more intense, and Akane's surprise quickly turned to shock as another black blob emerged from the ground to stand beside the ogres. Another followed… and another.

"Oh gods," she gasped. "What the hell's going on? A-another Gating? Kuno didn't invoke that sword's power again, why's it doing it now?"

"I don't think that moron's psychobabble had anything to do with this!" said Ranma as he took two steps back. "I think that stupid sword's doing it all by itself!"

"You're not too far off, my friend," said Shingen in a low voice. "Gate Keys sometimes have only one step required to activate. And judging from the looks of things, it activates when the tip pierces earth." He stared at the sword, which was gradually becoming surrounded by a veritable squad of ogres… ogres who were starting to develop a keen interest in the three warriors before them.

Akane took a step back, cringing slightly as one ogre looked her in the eyes and licked his lips. "What're we going to do now?"

Shingen sighed and pulled the sheath off the blade of his naginata. Ranma cracked his knuckles and ripped the ragged remnants of his sleeves off of his shirt, then turned to Akane and gave her a confident smile.

"We do what we always do, 'kane. We fight."

Shingen nodded. "Looks like training camp is over."

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 9/2/05: First I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Labor Day weekend. Second, I apologize for the delay in posting, but what with the summer heat, general craziness at work and with the world in general, my incentive got shaved back a few notches. I still intend to finish the story at some point, and I will try to increase my update speed. Third- yes, I did indicate in this chapter that _something_ happened between Ranma and Akane- but I did not indicate whether or not they actually went 'all the way', as it were. That, my dear readers, I leave to your own feverish imaginations.

The monologue Kuno chants to himself is ripped from the prologue of Shakespeare's "Henry V". I felt it suited his pomposity.

The ogres emerging from the cleft caused by the sword are, indeed, oni- the Japanese ogres who were thought to inhabit hell and inflict tortures upon the damned- and their appearance is hopefully kept in line with their traditional image. Of course, that image may have been ruined due to the first three having the mentality of the Three Stooges…

Priestess Kohana: Thank you for your kind words and support; it means a lot to me.

Dragon Man 180: The directional problem wasn't tied to Ryoga's curse, since he had that before he got cursed. He's just been really lucky to not get lost… for now, anyway. And whether Konatsu has competition… well, wait and see.

Martrex: Thanks. Hope this chapter pleases.

Taro MD: Glad you like the way this is going; as stated before, Ryoga may or may not still have his internal compass screwed up. As far as side stories go, I'll have to get back to you on that one via email.

Borg rabbit: The wakizashi does have some power- more on that at a later point. Happosai may have to wait a bit before having the snot beat out of him; he has another problem to deal with. More on that later. Glad you like the way the two 'lovebirds' are progressing; they're kinda like Han and Leia in some respects if you think about the way their relationship developed.

AmnarJoey: Yes, they do have honor- but they are engaged officially, and with the tension built up over the past year, not to mention parents who apparently wouldn't have any problem with them being 'together', it might not take much for them to give in to their desires. Still, like I said, maybe they only went so far and not all the way. I'm not telling. Ryoga won't be gone from the story for too long, and hopefully you enjoyed this latest installment. BTW- re: your note on surge protectors, I had one. It didn't do its job.

Hashiba42: Glad you're enjoying it; I do try to use bona fide spirits/demons when it fits, but sometimes I have to create my own to fit the storyline. The imps were created from several sources, while the design of the Reaver I borrowed from a random spirit in InuYasha.

Inu-ears: As far as who the 'last bond' is… I'm not telling. (evil writer's laughter here)

Warlord2005: Glad you liked the followup to the fight sequence, and as for who else may be entering the game- only time will tell. Unfortunately I can't give you detailed data on Konatsu's fighting style; I haven't read the manga where he appears and only know what I know from other fanfics or FAQs online.

Maximara: Not all Jusenkyo victims go full-bore bonkers; I alluded to that a tiny bit early on in the story(chapter 7 I believe), and again herein. Yes, the Musk women might have been at risk, but being frozen in their new bodies with the Chisuitton might have affected the interplay between transformation and curse spirit. It's not something I spent much time looking into; I admit, it was an oversight. As for the Instant Jusenkyo packets, those were mineral mixes, not the water at its very source. Again, I alluded to this in early chapters; while being splashed with water taken away from the source might cause a transformation, only immersion in an already-cursed spring _at_ Jusenkyo proper would enable a curse spirit to infect the host. The packets were likely an imperfectly diluted form of the spring water, further reducing its potency and spirit energy. In addition, as to why the Japanese Nannichuan was not attended to, or the packets- remember, the Hunters are few in number, scattered across the globe. What with the conflict against demonkind extending to far more lethal threats than these, it's quite possible they just didn't have the time to make up for their oversight until now. Simply put, they chose to concentrate on the greater threats first- which may have been an error on their part. NOBODY is perfect, not even Hunters.

Nuclear death frog: I'm sorry if this story turned out not to be what you wanted; I'm merely following parts of what Takahashi's canon pairings suggested.

In any event, thank you for perusing this little diversion of mine. If you have a moment to send a review, please do so; I could use the encouragement. I'm not a perfect writer by any means, I just act like I know what I'm doing. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	27. Taking Out the Trash: part 1

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is entirely impossible- real people can't obey the laws of anime physics. Long story short, this written for fun, not profit. But you knew that already, so on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 27: Taking Out the Trash, part 1

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Nabiki hummed a merry tune to herself as she examined her most recent acquisition from the local electronics store. Her eyes sparkled like a child's on Christmas day, taking in all the features and- more notably- the rather lofty price tag. Of course, given where the money had come from, she had reason to smile at the expenditure. "Isn't this the greatest thing you've ever seen?" she said, turning to show off the purchase to her shopping companion. "I've been dying to get my hands on this for weeks now."

"Well, it _is_ a rather nice-looking camera, Nabiki," replied Nodoka, who was carrying a modest bag of groceries, "but don't you think it was a little too expensive? That money probably could have been put to better use… home repairs, maybe, or perhaps planning for the future? You did say you were applying to Waseda University, after all."

"Relax, Auntie, if I didn't know how to plan ahead financially I wouldn't be me, now would I?" she replied with a grin. "This is one of the best mini-cams on the market yet, 24x optical zoom, 800x digital zoom, image stabilizer, SD memory card… the works. Just what I've been needing." She paused, then gave Nodoka a knowing look. "Besides, Mr. Saotome was more than happy to pony up the cash for such a _worthwhile_ cause."

Nodoka blinked, then relaxed as she responded with a knowing look of her own. "I see… I take it, then, that the fat fool finally got tired of eating bamboo for breakfast?"

"And lunch and dinner, too. Didn't hold out long before he agreed to that 'installment plan' I told you about." Nabiki slipped her new video camera into its carrying case and frowned. "Course, whatever money he's got squirreled away is gonna run out at some point…"

"I wonder about that," said Nodoka, a slight shadow passing over her eyes. "I also wonder how many people he cheated in the process of accumulating it." She shook her head slowly and pinched her nose before sighing and looking up again. _I feel like such a fool for not seeing it all sooner. Come to think of it, I wouldn't be surprised if his insistence at the arranged engagement lies more with being able to mooch off of his own son and daughter-in-law for the rest of his days. His behavior of late certainly seems to lean that way… but he never acted that way before taking up with that despicable master of his…_ She bit her lip. "One way or another, I _am_ going to put things right," she murmured.

"Well… anyway," said Nabiki quickly, "like I said, his so-called 'secret stash' won't pay off most of the bill I drafted, so he'll have to come up with the rest somehow… and with that collar on his leg I'm pretty sure he won't be so keen to try and sneak out and steal the cash." She scratched her chin in thought. "I guess he could always go back to work at Doc Tofu's clinic… or maybe we could rent him out to the zoo…"

"Nabiki! That's a terrible thing to suggest," said Nodoka sharply with a disapproving look on her face. The look, however, was marred slightly by the fact that a corner of her mouth was twitching upwards. "I'm sure there must be some other way Genma could pay off that debt… even if it might be amusing to watch him penned in like that."

"Eh, just a thought. And it's not like I don't have the contacts to draw up 'official' paperwork proving ownership of an endangered and exceptionally intelligent panda…" Nabiki drawled, prompting another brief smirk from Nodoka. "Then again, he might like it too much. All the panda chow he could eat and no real work, after all."

Nodoka stifled a giggle at the mental image Nabiki was provoking. "And let's not forget he has more than just the debt to your house to repay," she said, her serious demeanor returning. "Not to mention penance for what he did to my son…"

"Oh, I get the feeling once Ranma and my kid sister get back from this little trip of theirs, he'll be more than happy to help you in that department, Auntie," Nabiki replied with a nod. "Now, was there anything else we were supposed to get before heading…"

A sudden screeching sound blazed through the air, cutting Nabiki off mid-sentence. "What the hell?"

"Oh my goodness…" Nodoka gasped. Nabiki blinked and spun around, her eyes widening slightly. Seven blocks from where they were standing, the road met another in a T-intersection edged up right next to a nearby low lot that Nabiki knew had been razed and left empty for months. Nobody had begun building in the lot just yet, so the fact that something was making an industrial screech and giving off a bizarre neon green glow at the same time was something of a surprise. Nabiki blinked and stared at the light display, her brow knitting in consternation as a sudden trio of shadows flickered just above the guardrail around the lot… and a moment later, the screeching stopped and the light disappeared.

"That was… unexpected," Nabiki deadpanned. _More than a little bizarre, too. Kinda like what happened when that thing got pulled out of Ranma, only different… or maybe just some industrial thing, though I seriously doubt that._ She paused and blinked. _Hey, wait a moment…_

Nodoka paled slightly; memories of what she had seen at not one, but two Spirit Purges were asserting themselves, and something at the back of her mind was telling her that what they had just seen and heard was far from normal. Not to mention potentially dangerous. "Nabiki, perhaps we should be going," she said in a low tone. "We have everything we came to get, after all."

"Yeah, I know," Nabiki replied, her hand darting into her new camera bag. "Still… whatever just made that sound can't have been normal…" She pulled the mini-cam out and flashed a grin the Cheshire Cat would be proud of. "What better time or reason to give this bad boy a test drive?" _And if it is something of a paranormal nature, so much the better… I can always sell the shots to Daisuke if the tabloids don't want them!_ She flipped the lens cap off and took off towards the lot. Nodoka gasped and promptly followed Nabiki, part of her intending to grab the young woman's hand and lead her away from the lot… and part of her, against her better judgment, curious in her own right as to what the screech had been.

They were both about a block away when the second screech hit the air and a sustained green light began boiling out of the ground. Their pace slowed- then came to a halt as they caught sight of what was happening.

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"This isn't going to be easy, you two," said Shingen fiercely, jamming his right hand into his jacket and producing a fistful of throwing knives. "We're going to have to work fast; those oni can hit really hard if you let them."

"Eh, bring 'em on!" Ranma quipped, slapping his right fist into his left palm. "I've been waitin' for an excuse to cut loose today; all we gotta do is get that katana outta the ground, right?"

"Right- and get that idiot kendoist out if we can, too." Before them, several more ogres joined the growing squad; the glowing patch of earth they were emerging from was almost completely hidden from view. Just on the edge of the squad, a small panicky figure emerged from within, dragging a much larger figure by the ankles; Sasuke's legs became a veritable blur as he dragged Kuno's limp body across the lot as fast as he could. Kuno, for his part, was barely aware of much of anything as his servant's actions repeatedly banged his head against the ground, the odd rock, an old bicycle seat…

Akane gulped. _Ranma, I really don't like the looks of this; you really think we can take these things on? I know we've been training and all, but…_

_Don't worry 'bout it, Akane,_ Ranma replied through the Link._ It'll be just like fightin' off last year's Hentai Horde. He turned to look at her and winked. Besides, I'm not gonna hold back like I have been up till now…_ Akane blinked and turned to stare at him, wondering what he was talking about, but his attention had already snapped back to the ogres nearest to the three of them. Suddenly one ogre raised his club and bellowed, then pounded across the dirt towards them with three of his colleagues hot on his heels.

Akane snapped to attention and drew back, like a coiled spring ready to burst free. _Don't think, just do…_ And an instant later, they did.

Shingen's wrist snapped forward, unleashing a burst of six knives into the faces of the nearest three oni. Two snarled and batted the offending objects off their faces, while a third dropped his club and clutched his eyes in agony. Shingen burst forward and slashed at the first across the chest with his naginata, spun and upward-slashed the second, then brought the butt of the staff down on the back of the third's neck. The first two clutched at their wounds before charging their prey from behind; they were almost on top of him when the naginata's blade snapped out in a reverse thrust, impaling the first ogre in the belly. The second oni continued, swinging a massive fist downward which was barely countered by one of Shingen's glove shields. The tall man ripped the blade through the first oni's body, causing it to burst into particles of white light, only to face the second wounded one's relentless assault coupled with a new, fresh assailant. He gritted his teeth and began to bob and weave, swinging his weapon in wide circles, knocking aside the onslaught of club and fist.

"HIYAH!" Akane shouted, barreling into a cluster of three more oni faster than they could bring their clubs to bear on her. She landed smack in the middle of them and lashed out low with her right heel, catching one behind the knee hard enough to make him stagger. Following through with her spin, she pulled her arms in, snapped the clasps holding her own training weights on her wrists and then snapped her arms outward. The centrifugal motion, coupled with the fact that each weight band had gradually climbed to six pounds over the time she had worn them, meant that the two other oni in the group suddenly suffered massive headaches as a weight smashed into each of their foreheads with a sickening crunch. Akane crouched low to quickly undo her ankle weights, then noticed a shadow looming over her as the oni she'd kicked in the knee was attempting to beat her skull in with his club. "Don't even think about pulling that on me, rock-for-brains!" she said with a smirk, spinning on a heel to face him. "RYOUKO…" Her left fist shot out, smashing the ogre in a _very_ delicate place and prompting a falsetto squeal of pain. "TSUME KEN!" she continued, her right fist impacting the beast's stomach, chest and chin in a single, fluid sweep. The ki-powered punch snapped his head back so fast and hard that he actually lifted off the ground a full foot before collapsing in a lifeless heap.

Akane recovered, then spun back just in time to see more ogres coming towards her. For a second, it brought back memories of past fights- especially Ryugenzawa, with all the oversized beasts- but this time, there was no surprise, no shock. Her arms and legs felt like they were blazing with energy, a fire from within that had been little more than a flicker not so long ago. She felt a pulse wash through her, a deep, calming wave that seemed to focus and refine the energies within; had she been paying more attention, she would have noticed the wrapped wakizashi strapped to her back had begun to resonate with her aura. Glancing at the approaching ogres, she smiled and cracked her knuckles. "Ranma was right- you guys aren't that big a hassle at all. Just big and dumb!" Akane shivered slightly as a tiger's roar echoed deep within her mind, then launched herself into the thick of the ogres with the grace of a ballet dancer, punching and kicking through them with the same ease that had regularly dispatched the Hentai Horde at school before Ranma had ever shown up.

Barely a few yards away, Ranma had become a human buzzsaw, slicing through the ranks of the oni like cordwood. "Alright! This is the kinda workout I was hopin' for!" he shouted gleefully, springing up and executing a split kick to two ogres that were charging from either side. One was caught in the chest, the other in the throat, and both fell backward gasping for breath. Several more lumbered forward to take their places, but quickly stumbled back again as Ranma landed hands-first on the ground and spun in a complete circle, sweeping the ogre's legs out from underneath them with ease. Another swung his club directly at Ranma's head; the massive thing created a sizeable crater, but Ranma had leapt over the incoming weapon with ease. He landed lightly on the ogre's elbow, giving the beast just under one second to stare in shock. "Dodge this, ugly bastard. JINRAI TEKKEN!" His knuckles met the oni's forehead with an incredibly thunderous report; the beast's head promptly exploded into powder, followed by the rest of him.

No sooner had Ranma's feet touched ground than two additional oni charged him from behind, one of them lunging forward with a straight punch, the other raising his club to strike. Ranma spun around, leaned to the side at the last possible second, then grabbed the puncher's wrist as his fist missed completely. He shifted his grip and yanked with his left arm, pulling the oni off balance, then jammed his own knuckles into the beast's elbow, dislocating it as he launched the oni directly into the path of the second ogre's club. The speed and ferocity of the throw meant the second ogre couldn't stop in time, with the end result that he smashed his own comrade's skull in. The second ogre stared in shock- and two seconds later collapsed as Ranma dug his heel into his gut, then followed with an Amaguriken uppercut that snapped his neck in two places.

"Akane! Are you doin' okay?" Ranma shouted as two more assailants converged on him, peppering him with jabs which he either blocked or dodged with some slight difficulty; he quickly dropped into a spinning hook kick, smashing the knee of one and tripping up the other by the ankle.

"I've had better days," she hollered back through gritted teeth, grabbing an ogre's punch and flipping him into another like a baseball card. "These things just keep coming out of the woodwork!" Another ogre lunged towards her with club held high, but she darted in and pummeled him in the gut with six lightning-fast punches, causing him to topple forward. As he fell, she stepped in and grabbed him around the neck, then pushed back with her feet, slamming the beast's forehead into the ground with a bloodcurdling crunch. Springing back to her feet, Akane spun to face another oni duo, grinned and produced two mallets, one in each hand, which she promptly used to parry both their clubs and strike their kneecaps, groins and foreheads, in that order.

"They're gonna keep coming out of the woodwork if we don't get that damn katana out of the ground!" Shingen bellowed over the cacophony, still trading blows with no less than three ogres at once. Two of the oni attacking him had been sliced up pretty badly, but were giving no quarter, and the third was spinning his club so fast that Shingen barely had any openings to strike. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a fourth was charging up to join the fray with more just a step behind; he gritted his teeth and began swinging his naginata in his favored figure-8 pattern… and began to pick up speed. _I really, REALLY hate fighting groups of oni this large… didn't want to risk this technique with other people close by, but I may not have a choice…_

At the exact same moment, an opening appeared in the midst of the growing ogre platoon as Ranma and Akane continued to punch, gouge, kick and pummel their way through. Akane couldn't help but thrill to the sensation of what she was doing, how much faster and stronger she felt after the weekend's exercises and use of the training weights. She looked up… and suddenly gasped as she saw Ranma deliver a reverse crescent kick to the faces of three oni in a row, dropping them all like flies. The kick wasn't what surprised her, though. The fact that his aura was blazing like an inferno and was palpably growing stronger every moment was what gave her pause. _Oh, gods… I don't think I've ever seen him at that level before… except for maybe that time at Phoenix Mountain…_

"Akane, DUCK!" She snapped out of her reverie just in time to notice two things- one, he had spun to face her. Two, there was a rather angry oni directly behind her- and from what she could feel via her own growing aura sense, it was about to try and club her. She promptly dropped into a crouch and spun around, gathering her ki at the same moment Ranma was gathering his.

"MOKO TAKABISHA!"

The battle cry came in stereo as both teens unleashed simultaneous ki blasts into the oncoming oni; the twin energy blasts caught him head-on, tearing him to pieces and continuing through to strike the ogre directly behind him. The second ogre didn't fare much better against the blasts and was promptly scorched beyond recognition. Akane and Ranma quickly recovered and pulled themselves back-to-back as oni continued to emerge from the nearby patch of glowing earth.

"This is taking forever!" Akane scowled. "We keep this up and they're gonna just tire us out, then pound us to bits anyway!"

"We gotta get that sword pretty damn pronto then, Acchan," Ranma replied. "Which means we probably need to kick it up another notch." Another group of oni rushed the pair, and an idea suddenly entered Ranma's head. _Let's take this group out together; just follow my lead,_ he said via a Link. Akane nodded, and the two of them locked their elbows together before launching into a perfectly timed dual kata that they'd been discussing over the weekend. In fact, it wasn't dissimilar to the joint technique they had used to defeat the Dojo Destroyer so many months prior, only this time they were using it to fend off a horde of rampaging ogres. The two of them spun and lashed out in a series of acrobatic kick combos that sent the oni flying left and right; at one point they loosened their elbow lock, spun and gripped each other by the wrists instead, followed by Ranma swinging Akane in a wide circle as she kicked out repeatedly, literally running over the faces of multiple assailants at once.

"IKUSEN YAIBA NO TEIKIATSU!" Shingen bellowed from his position on the fringe of the fight. Ki poured into his rapidly spinning naginata, which he promptly hoisted above his head and continued to rotate, faster and faster… until suddenly a series of scythe-like ki projections began shooting out in all directions. The ogres surrounding him shrieked as the glowing blades flashed through the air, gouging deep furrows in the ground and tearing vicious wounds across the ogre's bodies. Several began dropping or disintegrating as Shingen continued to spin the naginata, producing blade upon blade with completely random trajectories.

Akane had just stopped their acrobatic maneuver when she paused long enough to stare at Shingen's frenetic attack. "What kind of a technique is that supposed to be?" she gasped.

Ranma's eyes narrowed. "Looks to me like he's using a variant of his stone cutting strike, just spread out over a wider area," he murmured before flinching and pulling Akane backwards; one of the scything blades tore right through the area where she had just been standing. "Yeah, that's gotta be it- actually, it probably ain't so different from those vacuum blades of the Yamasen-ken." A chorus of angry oni growls promptly cut his analysis short.

"Guess we'll have to ask him 'bout it later," muttered Akane as she spun back around to face the still-growing platoon. "Now where is that stupid katana?"

"Right in the middle, I'll bet," Ranma replied, pausing long enough to block an incoming oni's club and throw it and its owner across the lot, where it was promptly skewered in Shingen's blade cyclone. Akane did likewise with another attacker, choosing to jump over his club and slam him in the head with her mallet before punting him across the lot. Just then the two of them noticed something. The remaining yet still growing platoon wasn't sending out small groups of two or three anymore. Instead, they were gathering together, slowly but surely, and it wasn't hard to see that the foremost ones were tensing up in preparation…

"Oh hell… they're gonna charge us all at once," Akane whispered, her face pale. A few yards behind her, Shingen stopped spinning his polearm and dropped to one knee, breathing hard and glaring at the ogres in front of them.

"Then we're just gonna have to deal with them first," Ranma replied, cracking his knuckles. One hand whipped up to the bundle on his back, undoing the silk wrapping that held the Sagara wakizashi in place. "I think it's about time we started using these clan swords, Akane… no sense holding 'em back if we don't have to."

The next few seconds were nothing short of chaos incarnate; neither Akane nor Ranma had time to retrieve the aforementioned swords before the pack of oni burst forward like a tidal wave. Akane flinched and drew back two steps before thrusting her hands out in front of her. Ki began pouring through her palms as she struggled to replicate the Faith Shield maneuver Shingen had showed them… and just as the wave was about to hit, her eyes snapped open and the ki barrier exploded between her and the nearest group of oni. "Get away from me, you freaks!" she hollered as several clubs rained down on the barrier in succession, causing it to waver and dip in its intensity slightly. One club broke through and clipped her across the shoulder, when suddenly Ranma jerked his hands in towards his chest, then thrust outward, both palms extended as he executed a move he had only done a few times before- a _double_ Moko Takabisha. And not merely a standard blast divided in two; each ki orb was easily comparable to one of his regular blasts. Shingen and Akane both gasped as the blaze ripped no less than five ogres to shreds.

_Great Kami… is this what you meant when you said you were holding back?_ Akane thought to herself in semi-shock. _You… you've been holding THAT much power inside of you, Ranma?_

Shingen stood up and lunged forward to join the others, his own eyes widening. _Good Lord, what kind of a man is this? I knew he was keeping himself in check during some of our exercises, but… how the devil could I have missed something like this? TWIN ki blasts? Even I can't do something like that and have them both at full power…_ He shook off the shock, vowing to examine the issue more closely at a later time as more ogres continued to emerge. The front lines, however, were becoming noticeably irked and even a little hesitant.

Several oni began lunging out from the sides, circling around in a slow, determined pincer attack. Ranma pounded his fist into his palm and crouched low for a split instant. "Hey, Akane, Shingen, you guys might wanna step back for a moment; things are gonna get a little nuts."

"What're you talking about?" Shingen shouted back just as two oni reached him; he promptly impaled one on his naginata, then spun around and jabbed three fingers of his right hand into the other's face. "KONPAKU KAKI BAKUHA!" he snapped, sending a white ki blast directly down the ogre's throat, bursting him from the inside out.

Akane blanched as a vision of Ranma's plan swam through her mind from his Astral Link. "I think what he means," she said, jamming a ki-coated fist into one oni's gut and throwing him to the ground, "is that it's going to get pretty windy here in a moment." Another oni swung a club at her, which she promptly used as a stepping stone to leap upward, catch his head in a leg scissors and twist, breaking his neck. _You better know what you're doing, Ranma… and so help me, you hurt yourself doing this and I am going to slap you silly!_

Ranma smirked and snapped his attention back to the main horde- and sprang forward, feet pounding the ground like a man possessed. There was no subtlety to his stride, just a mad dash directly into the face of the platoon of oni. The beasts grinned and charged him in unison, raising fists and clubs to strike… when something happened. For an instant, Ranma glowed bright golden- and suddenly kicked into higher gear, bursting out of the light in his smaller, faster, female body. Onna-Ranma's hand flew to the hilt of the wakizashi on her back just as she ducked down and executed a baseball slide right through the legs of several startled oni. A quick series of wet cutting noises was followed by no less than three ogres collapsing onto their faces and bursting into white powder, their legs and lower abdomen ripped open by a series of lightning-fast slashes. The other ogres grunted and began shifting their position, trying to attack the red-haired blur that had just invaded their ranks. One smashed his comrade on the foot trying to get a bead on her, only to be struck three times in the chest by a bizarre combination of sword jabs combined with the Amaguriken.

Onna-Ranma scrambled and ducked madly through the crowd around her, making a beeline for the glowing patch of earth in the center of it all- when suddenly she changed directions, making a quick 90-degree turn to the right. Her wakizashi flashed like liquid steel as she skirted through the ogres, who were rapidly becoming incensed at the audacity of their 'new' foe. The cuts delivered were now not deep enough to do serious injury, but Ranma had no intention of cutting deep at this speed. She was angering them, making them stumble over one another to strike her, causing their own battle auras to flare hotter still. She smirked and began clearing her aura of all emotion as she lapsed into the spiral.

She could feel power building up, bit by bit, with every step she took that brought her closer to the center- where she knew she would find the katana that was causing it all. She could vaguely hear a warhorse's whinny in her ears, drowning out the sound of the oni all around her. Their anger was burning hot as a furnace, while all the while the Soul of Ice was driving her ki colder and colder still… so cold that frost was beginning to form on the wakizashi. The sudden drop in air temperature was not ignored by the oni; they could feel a strong wind beginning to pick up, pulling them in. Suddenly the ogres thinned out and she saw the katana in the midst of the ground, with the scabbard lying nearby where Kuno had dropped it. _Just a few more steps… three more… two… one… NOW!_ With barely a flicker of exertion, Ranma transformed back to his male body and swung his clan sword upward at the exact instant his left leg snapped out, catching the katana by the tsuba and launching it skyward.

"So long, suckers! HIRYU SHOTEN HA!"

The vacant lot promptly erupted in a maelstrom of wind, ki and debris as Ranma's attack exploded outwards from the clan sword. Oni gasped and screamed as they were tossed about like rag dolls, sucked into the rapidly expanding cyclone and torn to shreds by the energies erupting within the funnel's walls. Akane and Shingen both winced just before slamming their few remaining opponents towards the cyclone, then dug their feet into the ground and covered their faces, bracing against the unprecedented strength of the hurricane-like winds. Countless screams echoed across the lot as several dozen oni were crushed to pieces by the wind, the debris, and each other.

Then, just as suddenly as it had happened, it stopped. The winds died down. Several remaining ogres flopped gracelessly out of the sky, collapsing on the cold ground below. Ranma swung his wakizashi down once, then lifted it back up and resheathed it across his back. A light whirring sound above him gradually grew louder, then louder still. Suddenly he nudged the sheath on the ground with his foot, flipping it up in the air and catching it with his left hand. A second later, he raised his right hand and, without looking, caught the descending Sword of Ogres by the hilt. He twirled the katana once, then slammed it into its waiting saya with a deft flick of the wrist.

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Nabiki stood stock-still behind the guardrail at the top of the lot's sloping edge, her right eye glued to her camera's viewfinder. "Holy crap," she breathed in a very un-Nabiki tone of voice. "If I hadn't seen it I don't think I would've believed it… was that _really_ Ranma and my kid sister out there?" _And what the hell were they fighting? Those red things… they can't REALLY be the oni mentioned in my Japanese folklore books… can they?_ She panned her camera along the lot, focusing on the faces of the few remaining ones- smirking once as she caught sight of their eyes spinning in their sockets. _Unbelievable… un-frickin'-believable… one weekend out of the house and Akane's skill starts shooting through the roof…_ Her train of thought stopped as her camera stopped on Kuno's limp body on the edge of the lot, resting against the far embankment. She zoomed in on his delirious face as it was being poked and prodded by a nervous Sasuke, blinked… then snickered. Nodoka, for her part, simply stood to the side, one hand to her mouth and her eyes widening in surprise.

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Ranma breathed out a long sigh, then opened his eyes and smirked. "Guess I overdid it a little bit," he quipped before wobbling and dropping to one knee.

"A bit?" said Akane with an eyebrow raised as she jogged to his side, pulling him to his feet. "I think I'd call it a little more than just a bit, you dummy! Didn't you hear me earlier?"

"Well, yeah, but I ain't hurting that bad, just worn out a little… so ya don't get to slap me silly, I guess," he replied before straightening up and looking at her with a serious eye. "Hey, what about you? You didn't get hit too badly, did you?"

"Ranma, I'm fine; they nicked me a couple times but it's nothing. Like you said, it wasn't that different from the Hentai Horde- just a bit bigger, that's all," she said, a little too firmly. Ranma raised an eyebrow and touched her lightly on her left shoulder; she promptly gasped in pain and clutched at the spot he had touched. "Hey!"

"I think that was more than a nick," he said with a smirk, focusing his aura into his palm and running it along her shoulder again, this time barely brushing her gi; a cooling wave washed through her arm and she sighed in relief. "You've really got to let me know if you're hurting, you stubborn tomboy," he added in a gentle tone.

"Look who's talking, extra-stubborn baka," she retorted in an identical tone, poking a rather large bruise on his right forearm. Ranma flinched, but only grinned in return.

"Perhaps we could save the lovey-dovey chatter for some other time?" said Shingen as he joined the pair. "We still have a few oni left to deal with, but from the looks of things they're too dazed to be any sort of a threat for now. One quick cut should be all we need to take them out." He turned to Ranma and took the katana out of his hand; digging into his jacket pocket, he quickly produced a length of rosary beads with a koa wood crucifix. "And we might as well cut off the source as well."

"What's that for?" Ranma asked.

Shingen spun the strand of beads through the air, wrapping them around the juncture of the sword's sheath and the tsuba time and again, effectively peace-binding the katana and tying the strand at the tsuba with the crucifix resting along the length of the sheath. That done, he straightened up- and banged Ranma on the top of the head with his fist.

"OW! Hey, whadja do THAT for?"

"This," Shingen replied, pointing to the katana, "is to further dampen its power and keep it in check. _That,_" he continued, pointing to Ranma's head, "was for holding out on me this past weekend. I knew you were reining yourself back because of the whole Jusendo incident, but… _damn._ How the hell could you have had _that_ much ki at your disposal and still be able to conceal it?" Just then a nearby oni groaned and tried to stagger up; its progress was quickly cut short by Shingen's naginata impaling its forehead.

"Geez man, I don't know, okay? I just do," Ranma shot back, clenching his fists. "Ya don't think this freaks me out, too? Hell, it's been freakin' me out ever since I got back from China; it's like I got something inside me that wants to be let out, but if I do let it out…" He gestured around the ruined lot. "You saw it yourself; if I hadn't reined in that last blast a little I could've lost control and blown this whole block up!" He paused, then slumped his shoulders. "Probably would have, too, if I'd still had that curse spirit inside me…"

Shingen paused, then looked around at the remaining unconscious oni. "Yeah, I can see that," he murmured, then straightened up. "Look, all I was trying to point out is that I never _once_ saw that kind of power these past few days, except a slight glimpse when we fought that wildcat spirit. Not even when we were sparring together." He straightened his bandanna. "Guess I got a little thrown, thought maybe you hadn't taken things seriously when I told you not to hold back." _Perhaps his blood is awakening faster than I thought… or it could be from the training he endured at the hands of his idiot father._ Shingen blinked and looked at Ranma carefully.

"I know, I know," said Ranma as he straightened out the remains of his shirt. "It's not that I wasn't taking it seriously, man. It's just me. Part of it was the weights ya had me wearing- and part of it was just me being me. I don't like showing my whole hand if I don't have to… so I guess I wind up crippling myself till I get a bead on what my opponent can do." He looked down at his hands. "I haven't really cut loose like that in a good long while… least, not against the people round here."

"He's not the only one who got thrown, you know," said Akane softly. "I could feel it, too… it was like something really big had flared up inside you during the fight, Ranma." She paused and rested a hand over her heart. "Maybe it's something to do with our blood awakening, because… I felt a flare inside me, too. Or… I don't know. It was kind of scary… but, well… exciting at the same time."

Ranma let out a long sigh. "Yeah, well… fact is, I could say the same about you, Shin, what with that meatgrinder move you pulled a moment ago. That was a pretty big ki jump you made, too."

"It's not a move I use lightly, I'll admit," Shingen replied. "I wasn't that keen to risk it, what with the chance of hitting you two at the same time, or that samurai-wannabe… or the audience we picked up just before the fight." He smirked and nodded his head once towards the guardrail at the edge of the lot.

"You felt them too, huh," said Ranma, rolling his eyes a bit before shutting them. "Don't tell me… one of them's probably Nabiki with that camera of hers."

Akane glanced over his shoulder back towards the rail, blinked and looked back at him quickly. "Yep, Nabiki's there all right… and your mom, too, Ranma."

Ranma's eyes shot open. "Mom? She was… you mean she was watching this whole time?"

"Well, it isn't like she hasn't seen this sort of thing before; she was there when your curse was Purged, remember?" said Shingen, casually flinging a throwing knife between the eyes of another mortally wounded oni, thus causing it to burst into white light.

"I know, man, but…"

"If it's about the blade cyclone, I told you I didn't want to risk it around others," Shingen continued. "I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been sure they wouldn't get caught in it. The embankment took most of the damage thrown that way; I knew what I was doing."

"That's not what I meant, I just… ah, never mind." Ranma groaned and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Now she's probably gonna be paradin' all over the house, spouting out about how 'my son is _so_ manly' or some other kinda junk…" he mumbled.

Akane giggled. "What's wrong with that? I would've thought you'd want your mom to be proud of you, especially after a fight like that!"

"Well, yeah… but I just _know_ it's gonna turn into something embarrassing, and gods know what Nabiki's going to do with that camera of hers."

Akane shrugged, stealing a glance towards the embankment once again; neither Nabiki nor Nodoka had moved or said anything the entire time, and Nabiki's lens was still scouring the scene. _Sometimes I think you still worry far too much, Ranma,_ she thought to herself… then grinned as an idea popped into her head. "Say… how'd you like to blow one of my sister's circuits for a moment?" she purred in a wicked tone.

"Huh?" Ranma replied, one eyebrow raised. Then an image of what she was planning popped into his head via a Link, and the confused expression fell, replaced by a sly one of his own. "Oooh, I see… you mean show her what she'd least expect at a time like this," he said softly. "But you know she'd probably turn right around and cash in on it."

"I doubt it; she did promise she was on our side now," said Akane. "Besides- even if she did, I don't really care anymore. The way things are going these days, who cares if anyone else knows?" _But she wouldn't sell us out anyway… not unless she wants to meet the business end of the mallet,_ she added via the Link.

"Hmm… yeah, you got a point." Beyond Akane, he suddenly caught sight of Kuno stirring and stumbling into a seated position, and his smile grew a little more. "Maybe we could blow what's left of Kuno's mind at the same time?"

"Oh, you are devious!" Akane replied with a snicker.

"Takes one to know one," was Ranma's answer before the two of them turned and pulled each other into a passionate embrace, something straight out of a Hollywood romance film. For a moment, they shared a flashback to their disastrous _Romeo & Juliet_ production, remembering the kiss-that-wasn't and wishing it could have been more like what they were currently experiencing. The two of them did ham it up a little for the benefit of anyone watching, but it was no less passionate because of it.

Nabiki almost dropped the camera as she saw what she once thought she'd never see in public. "Holeeee… they're really… her and him…" She knew they'd seen her behind the rail, she'd figured they'd shout at her to turn the camera off or something else that she was _used_ to- not a full-on display of emotion following the heat of battle! _That's it… all bets are off, they actually did kiss in broad daylight before the wedding…_ Just then her brain re-engaged and she broke out in a big grin. _Guess that makes it official, those two ARE crazy about each other! And I got it on tape!_ "Nice going, Saotome!" she hollered, giving the two of them a thumbs-up. "Way to go, little sis!"

"Oh, my manly son…" Nodoka murmured, one hand still over her mouth. _I thought I'd seen him at his peak that night when his curse was eased… but this was so much more! This is… this is at least ten times beyond anything I ever thought humanly possible… not to mention the way that he and Akane fought in unison!_ Her smile faltered ever so slightly. _Even though it really isn't very ladylike of her to be so aggressive… still, that was such a sight to behold! Those two have grown so much in the last few…_

She paused in her train of thought and her smile faltered again. _Grown so much…_ Her hand dropped to her side and a tear began to form in her eye. _That's right. My son's a grown man now. And I never got a chance to see him grow or help him through all the pain he's endured. All because I took Genma at his word, trusted him to take care of my baby…_

A battered and bruised Kuno took one look at his beloved Akane, wrapped as she was in the arms of his most hated rival- and _willingly so,_ from the looks of her posture and the way she clung to him- and promptly passed out cold. Shingen merely shook his head and decided to let the two be for the moment, then proceeded to eliminate the remaining incapacitated oni at a casual pace with his naginata- which somehow resembled popping large balloons with a trash kabob.

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Somewhere in the seas South of Japan, a Korean cargo vessel lay adrift and in chaos, the result of an unexpected visitor making its way onboard and into the main cargo hold. Several crewmen were trying to get a lifeboat launched, others were grabbing whatever they could find to try and defend themselves from the visitor. The visitor, in this case, happened to be a giant octopus that had wormed its way onto the ship for three very important reasons. One, it had at one point in the past swallowed a magic pill that would cause it to fall in love permanently with the first male being it saw. Two, the being in question happened to be a diminutive, perverted martial arts master. Three, said perverted martial arts master was a stowaway in the cargo hold in question.

This, needless to say, meant nothing but trouble for the Korean sailors, let alone the aforementioned Happosai.

"RRRRAAAANNNNMMMMAAAA! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, I SWEAR IT!" the pint-sized perv shrieked as he bounced around the hold, scrambling like mad to avoid the oncoming octopus embrace. Sadly- for him, anyway- he was unsuccessful due to the lack of space in the cramped hold, and was soon trussed up in a massive, slimy hug, the type of which he had wanted to avoid ever since his first encounter with the beast. The beast, on the other hand, was in heaven, cuddling up with the one it adored.

Shortly thereafter, the octopus abruptly departed the cargo vessel, carrying the screaming Happosai with it as it plunged back into the sea- allowing the sailors to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

--------------------

_Whoa; either I kicked up more dust than I thought, or someone's talkin' about me,_ Ranma thought as he stifled a rather large sneeze.

"Hey, you're not getting sick on me, are you?"

"Keh, as if. I don't get sick that easy; just a little dust, Akane, that's all."

"More than a little dust if you ask me, little bro," said Nabiki in a teasing tone as she jogged towards the two of them, camera still rolling. "Boy, you sure know how to pick your fights, dontcha? Where the frick did those big red apes come from, anyway?"

"Let's just say a certain Kuno clan moron decided to find something even stupider than that Phoenix egg he bought months ago," Akane replied with a sigh. "But that's not important right now; what on Earth were you doing up there, oneechan?"

Nabiki shrugged. "I just happened to be in the neighborhood, saw something going down with those weird green lights and decided to give my new mini-cam a try. Didn't know it was you two until I actually got here- and I've got to admit, little sis, you impressed the hell out of me with that display you put on."

Akane flushed slightly and scratched the back of her head. "Well, this was supposed to be a training weekend anyway, so…" She shook her head and gave Nabiki a hard look. "That's not the point; you know you could've gotten hurt if something had gone wrong?"

Nabiki sighed. "The thought had crossed my mind, but you're forgetting I've been 'at ringside' for some of Ranma's other big fights… like with Ryoga, or Miss Hinako, remember? Okay, so maybe I was there mostly for setting odds… point is, I had a feeling it'd be rough. I was ready for it."

"You were ready for all of that?" Ranma asked, gesturing around the lot.

"Well… maybe it was a little more than I expected," she replied. _Guess I can throw my skeptics badge out the window- and here I thought they'd exaggerated about what went down in China, but if something like that horde of 'whatevers' can crop up here, then…_ "Didn't expect you two to take it in stride like that either; you didn't get hurt, did you, Akane?"

"Sis, I'm fine," the younger Tendo admonished. "I was a bit nervous going in, but once we got started… I don't know, I just sort of got into a groove and it got easier all of a sudden." She straightened her gi top; for a brief moment, her eyes flickered in the direction of the Saito wakizashi, still sheathed across her back.

"Yeah, all that work we did really paid off," said Ranma proudly, resting a hand lightly on her right shoulder. Akane just nodded and smiled.

"So I guess you two really did get around to some training, after all," Nabiki said before grinning slyly. "Not all just fun and games, I see… or was it?"

"NABIKI!" the two teens chorused.

"Hey, chill, okay? I'm just giving you two a hard time, that's all," she replied innocently. "I wouldn't tease if I didn't care about you both, ne?" she added with a wink before strolling across the lot to take a few close-up shots of the comatose Kuno. "By the way, you gotta tell me where you picked up those swords you're carrying; those are mighty fine pieces of work!"

Ranma sighed and put one hand to his head. "I don't think I'm ever going to figure out that sister of yours," he groaned.

"WOOHOO! Hey, Akane, you were right, Kuno-baby _does_ like to wear teddy bear boxers!" Nabiki hollered from across the lot; just beyond her, they could see Sasuke frantically scrambling to push her away and drag Kuno home as quick as possible.

"You and me both, Ranma," Akane added with a groan of her own. Ranma folded his hands behind his back and stretched out his arms- then stopped as he felt a hand lightly touch his wrist.

"Son?"

"Wha…" He turned around and blinked as he noticed the person behind him. "Oh, Mom… sorry, I wasn't ignoring you or nothing, I just…" He stopped. "Mom? Are you okay?"

Nodoka looked at him with a mixed expression in her eyes- one of extreme pride, but mixed with a shadow of regret, some surprise and no small amount of personal shame. "I don't think so," she murmured, drawing closer to him and placing a hand on his chest. "I've done a lot of thinking this weekend, not to mention found out certain things that… things I wish I'd found out so much sooner. I…" She shook her head and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, Ranma… I'm so sorry…"

"Auntie?" said Akane in a worried tone.

"Mom, what's going on?" said Ranma in an identical tone. "What've you got to be sorry about? What's the matter?"

Nodoka shook her head again and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her kimono. "It's… it's about Genma," she said shakily. "And what he did to you when I couldn't be there for you."

To Be Continued…

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Author's Note 9/18/05: I was planning to incorporate a few more elements, but with the length of this chapter it made more sense to split it into two parts. There is definitely some more trash in need of taking out, but not all of it could fit into one chapter. Hopefully this installment was enjoyable. Now, on to a few points.

First off, in my own defense I did _not_ intend to make Shingen into a Mary-Sue type OC. His intentions have nothing to do with pairing people up- Ranma and Akane had already admitted their feelings to each other before he ever appeared. Yes, when he and Ranma first fought they were evenly matched, but then again the same thing usually happens anytime Ranma meets any new fighter. He doesn't _always_ win the first time, and uses what he's seen to fare better the next time(that's how he beat Kirin and Toma). Not to mention Shingen is ten years older with more combat experience against demons- but Ranma is not only catching up to him; with his blood awakening Ranma has begun to surpass Shingen in raw power and combat ability. If anything, I created him as a comrade in arms of sorts; he's _not_ a godlike character. At least, I hope he isn't. He's just in Nerima to do his job.

I decided to refer to Ranma in girl form as onna-Ranma instead of Ranma-chan mainly because it makes more sense in Japanese. The phrase has been used by other fanfic writers, and I figured it made a little more sense.

Ikusen Yaiba no Teikiatsu: Loosely translated, Cyclone of a Thousand Blades. A weapon technique of Shingen's spear-fighting style which creates vacuum blades in all directions; derived from pumping one's ki into the edge of a rapidly moving weapon. The comparison to the Yamasen-ken refers to Ranma's fight with Ryu Kumon in a past volume of the manga.

The fight sequence was partially inspired while I was listening to the song _What Drives the Weak_ by Shadows Fall, one of the finest metal bands performing today IMHO.

Ranma-fanatic04: Actually, the Romanovs I was referring to were the czars of Russia. The Romanovs fell from grace partly due to the Empress' manipulation by a certain Siberian monk and healer named Rasputin… ever wonder whether he really did have strange powers?

Dragon Man 180: Hopefully the melee was satisfactory- if you want to better visualize it, think the fight scene in The Matrix Reloaded where Neo fights the multitude of Smiths. Only this time, it got taken care of quicker. Mallet-sama got a bit of a workout, but not as much… and believe me, Genma's got some more payback coming.

Taro MD: Yep, Kuno's an idiot, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. Hope you enjoyed.

Priestess Kohana: Thank you again for your support; hope this chapter pleases.

AmnarJoey: Glad you liked the Kuno bit; the way he manages to be serious and a complete bozo at the same time never ceased to amaze me when I first saw the series.

Lerris: Thank you.

Martrex: Taking one of Kuno's hands right now might be a little extreme… though a few broken knuckles might be worthwhile. Thanks.

JWG: Sorry you had to change your pen name, but I can understand why. Yes, Mousse may be a bit different from the anime version, but I wanted to make him a bit closer to the original manga anyway. Timing on their issue- maybe a bit ironic, but that's the way things happen, sometimes even in real life. Ukyo will be dealt with at some point, as will Genma's comeuppance, natch. Hope you enjoyed this installment, and keep up the good work with Ben Reilly et al.

Little Minamino: Thank you for your support; I know there's a lot of people who favor the Ryo/Ukyo pairing, but I never saw them as much more than good friends. From what I've picked up on the web, Akari seemed like a good match for Ryoga anyway. As for whether Ukyo and Shingen are headed for something… stay tuned to find out.

The-Shadow002: Glad you enjoyed the past two installments; hopefully you enjoyed this one as well.

To all my readers, thank you for stopping by. If you could leave a review on your way out, I'd love it; constructive criticism is appreciated, flames will be thrown into the burn bin and used for toasting marshmallows. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	28. Taking Out the Trash: part 2

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. But then you knew that already. This story is for fun, not profit. OK, enough with the legal junk and on with the show.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 28: Taking Out the Trash, part 2

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Ranma let out a long sigh. "So… now you know the rest, huh."

Nodoka nodded in response, sniffing as she dabbed at the corner of her eye. They and the others were sitting at a circular table at an outdoor café not far from the vacant lot. Akane sat on Ranma's left, while Nodoka was on his right looking somewhat less than happy. Nabiki had parked herself next to her sister while Shingen sat idly in the remaining chair, toying with a glass of water.

It had been no more than ten minutes since the oni incident; ten minutes since Nodoka had lost some of her composure and blurted out an apology to Ranma, which had naturally surprised both him and Akane. He had wondered briefly if she was referring to the seppuku contract, but since that matter had been laid to rest the night of his Purging he felt that couldn't be the case… yet the look on her face was identical to the look of remorse she had had that night. For a moment, he and Akane shared a moment of confusion as to what had happened, but the moment they heard Genma's name, the confusion began to lift.

Gradually, Nabiki had rejoined them- after snagging some priceless shots of Kuno and the royally embarrassed Sasuke- and steered the party towards the café where they now sat. It hadn't taken long for Nodoka to rouse herself from her remorseful mood and begin to relate what she had discovered in Genma's backpack several nights earlier. Nabiki had interrupted at points, bringing the training trio up to date on the repercussions- the confrontation, the shock collar, everything they had done up to that point. Shingen had sat off to one side and shook his head- partly in surprise, partly in amusement at the mercenary Tendo's odd sense of justice. Akane had smirked, but the smirk vanished each time she looked at Nodoka- or at Ranma, who hadn't said anything, but had flexed his right hand and stared at a spot on the table.

"Had I known you would have been subject to something like… _that_," said Nodoka, her voice regaining its strength, "I never would have agreed to such a foolish arrangement, not then, not ever. I'm not even sure I want to know what else you went through while you were gone, son…" She looked up, her eyes slightly red. "Why didn't you tell me you endured so much pain at his hand?"

Ranma shook his head. "I dunno… I guess I thought if I told you what went down during that damn Neko-ken, how I didn't really want to do it… or any other time I got sick of the old man's training… I guess I figured complainin' about it might look weak, or- or unmanly." Seeing her visibly cringe, he barreled on. "But that's not the main reason, Mom… yeah, I know Pops did a lot of dumb stuff while we were gone and all…"

"Like getting you engaged to any girl he could find in exchange for a hot meal," murmured Nabiki in an icy tone.

"Or foisting the blame onto you when some of his 'deals' came back to haunt him," added Akane, "when you didn't deserve it or even know about it." Her right hand slid across the table and took his left, giving it a gentle squeeze. _And causing some of us to take that misguided blame too seriously,_ she added silently to herself.

"Yeah… I dunno if he meant to do half the things he did, or if he's just a moron through and through," Ranma said in a low tone. "An' that's all before we got to those damn springs, too." He let out another long sigh. "I know he screwed things up majorly, but… well… up until a year ago he was all I had, the only family I really knew. I guess… I don't know. I guess some part of me just didn't want to let go of that, didn't want to risk losin' it. Yeah, I'll be the first to admit it, I know he's not much more than a fat bastard- sorry, Mom. But even so… he's the only father I got."

Nabiki stared at him for a moment. _Okay, something's wrong here. Since when did Ranma start acting mature? Or try sorting junk out like this? Geez, maybe all that stuff they said happened in China wasn't smoke and mirrors after all- I know I've heard the stories, but I thought they were exaggerating some of that Jusendo crap. Must've been damn serious to get both him and my kid sister to grow up practically overnight…_ She shook off her train of thought and snorted derisively. "Not much of a father if you ask me, Saotome," she said. "If he was my dad I probably would've reported him to the cops after _one_ of those training exercises he put you through. I swear, you really can be entirely too honorable or loyal for your own good sometimes, little bro."

"Nabiki, I was a kid. I didn't know back then; didn't even start to wise up till that damn Neko-ken experiment of his," Ranma grumbled. "But what the hell was I s'posed to do? Not like I could run away or nothing; where could I go? I didn't know _anyone_ besides him…" He looked up at Nodoka with a sad smile. "I didn't even know for sure if you were still alive until that mess with the seppuku pledge came up and he got us hiding behind the 'Ranko and Mr. Panda' dodge."

"But what about when you did get here?" Akane asked. "You could have done something then, right? And it's not like you didn't talk about going back to China more than once, at least at first…"

"I know, I did a lot of talking like that," Ranma replied, shaking his head. "But by then… puttin' up with him for ten years like that…" He bit his lip. "I guess I just got used to it. I mean, he _is_ technically Master of the Saotome branch of the school… and… maybe I just stuck it out so there'd be one thing in my life that _didn't_ change on me." He paused, then chuckled. "Or maybe I just wanted to keep clobbering him in our sparring sessions."

Akane bit her own lip. "You mean you didn't say anything just because you didn't want another change?" she asked softly. "Even with everything he did to you?"

Ranma paused a long time before nodding again. "Yeah, I guess so… and at the time I still had that contract over my head, too; not so easy to say you don't respect your father's ways with that monkey on my back."

Tears had begun to flow from Nodoka's eyes once more. _Oh, son… I'm so sorry, I've failed you as a mother…_ She stifled a sob and leaned over in her chair, pulling Ranma into a tight embrace, which he quickly returned with his right hand around her shoulders. Akane sniffled once and squeezed his left hand. Nabiki shifted awkwardly in her seat.

For a few long moments, nobody said anything.

"So let me get this straight," Shingen piped up, breaking the silence. "You put up with a long series of grueling and potentially dangerous training for at least a decade, during which time you couldn't do much to alleviate it or find an alternative, and then when you do reach an age where you can do something about it, you've reached a mindset that wants to retain the status quo out of fear that you might lose what family you do have if you did otherwise." He set his water down and rested his elbows on the table. "My friend, I think you need to take another look and ask yourself if that's what you really want- especially considering that you do have an alternative."

Ranma blinked. "Wait, what're you saying, Shin?"

"I think he's saying you don't have to rely on _him_ as a constant, Ranma," said Akane. "In the first place, I'm not sure he was constant on much of anything- sorry, Auntie- and in the second place, you're not alone anymore, you dummy." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "You've got me, anyway. And Kasumi, too, and Dad… even if he can be a little emotional at times…"

"And me too," Nodoka added, drying her eyes. "I know I made a big mistake when I let Genma take you on that foolish trip of his; I'm not going to make another mistake like that." She took his right hand in hers. "I can't change the past, son, but I can try to make up for lost time. I promise, I'll make it up to you somehow."

"Same goes for me," Nabiki piped up. "Fact is, some of this junk's my fault as well… I wasn't really trying to sabotage you or nothing with some of those deals I've pulled, Ranma. Guess my curiosity and my… uh… instincts got the better of me sometimes. Lure of the almighty yen, y'know… well, that and the fact I was trying like hell to keep our finances afloat when you and your freeloading father showed up." She sighed. "Long story short, sorry 'bout all this. Now, do you think maybe we could move away from all this touchy-feely crap and get back to the matter at hand?"

Nabiki's last comment seemed to break some of the tension. Akane giggled. Ranma guffawed, and pretty soon everyone at the table was sharing a good, healing laugh. By the time they had all finished, a fair quantity of tears had been wiped away and most of them were smiling again.

"Yeah, I think you may have hit the nail on the head, Nabs," said Ranma with one last chuckle. "Might as well get back to what we were talking about." He brushed his hair back and his face became serious. "Fact is, you guys're right. I _am_ sick of all the garbage Pops put me through… I just had my mind on so many other damn things I didn't bother thinking 'bout how I was gonna deal with it." He paused, then smirked. "Gotta admit, though, that little shock collar idea of yours sounded appropriate."

"Eh, it was nothing," Nabiki replied, one eyebrow twitching. '_Nabs'? I HATE that name…_

"So what do we do now?" Akane asked, her eyes drifting to meet Nodoka's. Just then a bad thought struck her and she paled slightly. "Auntie… you're not going to make Mr. Saotome commit…" Ranma's eyes suddenly widened and he shot his mother a questioning glance.

Nodoka shook her head vigorously. "No, as much as it might restore some of the family honor, I'm afraid that wouldn't be right." At her words, Akane and Ranma visibly relaxed. "Not only because it would be the easy way out, despite how afraid of death he is… but also…" She sighed. "There's a part of me that, silly as it sounds, hopes that the part of him I fell in love with is still somewhere inside."

"From what I've heard of him, Nodoka-san, you'd have to look pretty hard to find that part. No offense intended," said Shingen offhand.

"None taken, young man," Nodoka replied with a sad smile. "I've thought the same thing myself this past weekend many a time. I'll still look for it, though… and if I reach a point where I'm well and truly sure it's gone, I'll decide what to do then."

"And in the meantime, what happens?" Nabiki asked. "I'll bet you anything he's gonna be pissed when we all get back home, what with the number of zaps he's had so far."

"Betcha anything he'll try and pin it on me 'not doing my duty as a loyal son' or some crap like that," Ranma scowled. "With a dose of 'the future of the Saotome school' thrown in for good measure."

"I don't think he'd be too willing to try that in my presence, son," said Nodoka in a cool tone as she patted her silk-wrapped katana.

"Yeah, but still… you just know he's gonna be thinking it. Might throw out some garbage about finding someone else to succeed him as well… not that he'd actually do it, just something he might try an' use to get my goat," Ranma replied. A hardness was beginning to build in his eyes; the more they talked about it, the more he was remembering the hellacious training, the things Genma had said were training but usually involved him stealing Ranma's food or making Ranma carry luggage. And the more he remembered, the more he wanted to make the old man hurt.

"Doesn't surprise me; the Master turning the Student away is probably the oldest guilt method of any martial arts school," said Akane. "Not that he's much of a 'Master' himself; you could beat him in five seconds easy, Ranma."

Nabiki, Ranma and Nodoka all looked up at once. A moment later, a thoughtful look emerged on Ranma's face, followed by a sly grin.

Akane blinked. "What? What'd I say?"

_I think you just gave us the perfect way to shut him up for good, Acchan,_ Ranma's voice echoed in her mind's ear. Akane looked at him again- and her eyes widened and a smile broke out as she realized what he was talking about.

Ranma turned to face Nodoka, who was already sporting a thoughtful look of her own. "Maybe it's time he and I finally had a little 'chat' about the future of the Saotome school."

Nabiki smirked. _Oh boy… this is gonna be good…_ Her mind began racing, quickly sorting through a list of numbers as she retrieved her favored financial assistant- her cellphone.

--------------------

It was late in the afternoon by the time Akane and Ranma made it back to the gates of the Tendo dojo. They had parted with Nabiki and Nodoka in high spirits, despite the fact that their nerves were a tad on edge. The plan had been set in motion, now all that remained was to execute it. Ranma had been a tad nervous at first- what with some of his old loyalties trying to re-assert themselves as he, Akane and Shingen had headed back to the warehouse to clean up and get in two last hours of intensive training and a half-hour of cool-down exercises. The nervousness passed midway through an elaborate weapon kata Shingen was showing them as Ranma reminded himself time and again of all the times he had wanted to do this previously. His memories of Genma's training only helped to steel his resolve, and by the time he and Akane finally perfected the basic sword kata, he knew what he wanted. He wanted to give Genma a small taste of what he had become- and the pain he had endured to get there. Old reservations against doing it had gone right out the window.

Akane hadn't said much as they were cleaning up the bunk room of the warehouse, but words weren't necessary at that point. She knew part of what Ranma was going through- more so because of what she had seen in his memories via their Astral Link experiments. She couldn't help but be nervous of what was about to happen- not because she was afraid Ranma might get hurt, however. Instead, it was a fear that he might lose control and do more than what he was intending. Akane knew Ranma had exceptional control, and there weren't many things that could make him lose it… but a confrontation like this might be one of those things.

Now, standing in front of the gates of her home… _our home,_ she thought to herself… she looked to her left and saw him take a deep breath, his face clear of emotion. She paused for a moment, then allowed herself a small smile. _I shouldn't be worried. Ranma knows what he's doing, and I guess this would have happened at some point sooner or later. I have to trust him… trust him not to go overboard._

She hefted her backpack on one shoulder and squeezed Ranma's hand. "You ready to do this?"

Ranma looked at her and gave her a faint smile. "Not really. But he's overdue for this anyway." He squeezed her hand in return and straightened the collar of the blue Chinese shirt he had replaced his battered red one with. "Let's go say hi." Akane nodded and the two approached the door. Shingen followed close behind, duffel bag over one shoulder, naginata resting on the other.

"We're home!" Ranma called out as they entered the foyer, setting their backpacks on the floor while Akane removed her sneakers.

"Welcome home Ranma, Akane!" said Kasumi as she rounded the corner. Her cheerful smile faded after a second, replaced by a concerned look "I hope you're both well, Nabiki said there was a terrible fiasco downtown today that…" She was suddenly interrupted by a series of angry footsteps that caused her to blanch slightly.

"_Raaannnmmmaaa…"_ At the sound of the voice, Ranma's eyebrow twitched. The inflections were all there, he could almost feel the blame game about to begin as a singed and smoldering Genma stomped his way into the front hall. Ranma gritted his teeth and forced himself into the Soul of Ice before glancing up at the elder Saotome- and very nearly dropped the Soul of Ice at the sight of Genma. He was covered head to toe in burn marks and his eyes were so bloodshot they looked like Shinjuku street maps. Akane almost snickered herself, but reined her instinct in at the last second.

Genma took a deep breath. "Now son… it's all very well and good to train. It's a sign of one's devotion to the Art to train constantly… and I'm proud of you for taking the initiative to bring Akane with you this time. In that respect I can understand it, wanting to spend time with your fiancée is only right. However…" He took another deep breath; at that point neither he nor Kasumi noticed Soun sidling up into the hallway to take a look. Nor did they notice Nodoka peering around the front gate of the estate, biding her time.

"_How could you think of leaving your own father at the mercy of those two women?"_ he snapped in a tight voice, prompting a slow burn from both Kasumi and Akane, which he ignored. "You couldn't have delayed your trip until I had at least had a chance to RECOVER from that… that USELESS Purging technique?" This time he garnered a very dirty look from Shingen. "And of all the times in the world to let _your mother_ discover that blasted training manual! Have you any idea what she and that heartless Nabiki did to me while you were busy with your own affairs? What kind of dishonorable son are you to leave your own father…" At that point Ranma's eyes snapped open and his hand shot out, grabbing Genma's gi and yanking him forward.

"Don't you dare talk to me about being dishonorable, you son of a bitch."

Genma's eyes widened as if he had just been slapped- not merely because of what Ranma had said, but because of the look on his face as he said it. His eyes were practically glacial and there was no warmth to be found anywhere on his face. For a brief second all Genma did was stare in shock, then shook his head and swallowed hard. "What… what did you just say, boy?"

"I think you damn well heard what I said, old man," Ranma shot back in a sub-zero tone of voice. "I knew you were gonna get started on this the second I came through the door; Ranma's back, so let's play Shift the Blame with him once again! That game never gets old, eh, kiddies?" His grip on Genma's gi tightened. "Guess again, pops. It does get old, and I'm sick and tired of it. And how the hell is it my fault Mom found that manual? You're the one who didn't throw it away or burn it when ya had the chance; how was I supposed to know she'd find it cleaning up? And don't even get me started on dishonor, you're the one who wrote the book on that subject- especially when ya used me to pay off some debt you were too cheap to pay off yourself, or whenever you needed a convenient scapegoat! Gods, even _Kuno's_ got more honor than you, you fat, lying bastard!" With a quick shove, Ranma sent Genma staggering back towards the nearest wall and let out a long breath.

Genma was on his feet in an instant. "How DARE you! Have you no respect for your elders, boy? No respect for the trials I went through to keep food in my- OUR stomachs? No appreciation of the hardship that makes up a martial artist's life? How can you disrespect all I've done for the school's sake and…" Suddenly the color drained from his face as an angry Nodoka entered the house behind Ranma and gave him the hardest glare of her life.

"It would seem to me, _husband,_" she said, laying heavy emphasis on the word, "that _my child_ is more than capable of giving respect where it is due… and from what I've heard from speaking with him and Akane today, I would think he is quite justified in what he says. It is quite true that a child should be respectful of his parents… but such respect does not come free, Genma. It has to be earned. And _not_ toyed with."

Genma blanched. His worst nightmare was beginning to come true- his wife and child turning against him. He started sweating as he glanced around, finally noting the fire in the eyes of Akane and Kasumi, as well as a dispassionate glare from Shingen. Desperately he glanced in Soun's direction, wordlessly imploring some sort of support from his longtime friend.

Soun said nothing, but shook his head and looked at Genma with an expression he didn't want to see. _I'm sorry, old friend,_ he seemed to be saying. _Not this time; this is between you and your family. I can't do this anymore._

Genma cringed, his gaze turning back to Nodoka. "D-dear?" he said disbelievingly. "You don't really mean it, do you? I… everything I did was to m-make him the b-best… and now he goes and disregards what I've…"

"What you've done, Genma, is use and abuse my child in ways I never thought possible."

"I DIDN'T KNOW! How was I supposed to know that training technique was banned?"

"You could've read the manual all the way, old man," Ranma growled. "Look, this is getting old and I'm in no mood to go through and rehash everything you put me through all over again. I told you, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of YOU!" He jammed a hand into his pocket and produced a folded piece of paper, which he promptly thrust into Genma's hands. "This ends right here and now. Genma Saotome, I'm challenging you to a winner-takes-all duel!"

Genma blinked, then stared at the paper in his hands- a paper written by Ranma hours earlier at the café(with some legalese coaching from Nabiki). "What the… what is this supposed to be?"

"Thought you'd know a challenge letter when you saw one," the younger Saotome replied. "You and me. Right here, right now. As for winner-take-all, that means what it sounds like." He folded his arms. "I'm challenging you for the title of Master of the Saotome School of Anything Goes."

Kasumi gasped. Soun's eyes widened as his jaw hit the floor.

Genma didn't know whether to faint or run away. "Ranma… you can't be serious…"

"Deadly serious, old man," Ranma replied with all the warmth of a vat of liquid nitrogen.

"Fact is, it's about time this school had a decent Master anyway," added Akane with a smirk.

Genma blinked, then paused and narrowed his eyes at Akane. "This… this is your doing, isn't it? You did something that got him thinking along this line, didn't you? You always were a forceful little girl, so now that the two of you started getting along, you've found some way to turn him against me! I knew it! I should have known you were a bad choice for him right from the start of…" He got no further as Ranma backhanded him across the face with his left fist. Soun stared at Genma in shock mixed with a touch of anger.

"Don't you DARE talk about Akane like that again!" he snarled. "I've been wantin' to do this for a long time; I didn't get pushed into nothing! Now are you gonna accept that challenge or not?"

"You wouldn't want to dishonor the Saotome name by refusing a challenge, would you?" said Nodoka sweetly, fingering the tsuba of her katana. "That wouldn't be very _manly,_ husband."

Genma froze; the look in Ranma's eyes had turned from icy to blazing in an instant, and it wasn't hard to notice that his aura had begun to manifest. _Oh Kami… what's happening? I've never seen him this angry before, and he feels so much stronger, too… gods, I don't know if I CAN win if he's like this, but… a challenge for the school itself? The audacity of it all! The arrogance… the… the…_ He looked up at Ranma's face again, cringing at the emotion he saw in his son's eyes. _The power… that… I've never seen that look in his eyes, not even in some of our worst fights… Oh Lord… could it be that he… he hates me? No, that can't be, I'm his father… but… but the way he was speaking, what he said…_

"Do you accept the challenge, Genma Saotome?"

Genma winced at the harshness of Ranma's words. _He really means it. He's calling me out, and I'm not ready… I can't do this. I just can't. But with No-chan right there… and that look in his eyes…_ He paused, then bent his head and sighed. _I have no choice. Him or her, I lose either way. I'm such a dead man…_

He paused again and blinked. _On the other hand… there are his weaknesses. And the school is Anything Goes… if I can use them, maybe I'd have a chance after all…_ A subtle smirk snuck onto his face for a moment, which he wiped away before giving mother and son a resigned look.

"I accept," he mumbled.

No sooner had he uttered those words than Nabiki popped out from her hiding place in the closet by the stairwell, camera still rolling. "There you have it folks, we have an acceptance. Saotome vs. Saotome in a fight to the finish; the stakes, Mastery of the school. A fight for the ages indeed," she droned into the mini-cam's microphone with the flair of a sports announcer.

Ranma groaned. "Should've known this wasn't going to be a normal challenge," he muttered.

_Are they ever normal?_ Akane asked wryly in their minds' ear.

_No, I guess they aren't_, was his reply, accompanied by a shrug and a wink.

Akane smiled back. _Oh, and Ranma…_

_Yeah?_

_You didn't really have to stand up for me like that._ She paused, then gave his hand a gentle squeeze. _But I am glad you did anyway… thank you._

He nodded and gave her a warm smile. _Any time, Acchan._

--------------------

"Okay, people, let's make a little room here, have to make sure nobody's uncomfortable," Nabiki said with her typical Ice Queen authority. Ranma's assessment that the challenge wouldn't be normal was more accurate than he thought- and both he and Akane shared a thought that even with all that had happened over the last week, the lure of the Almighty Yen was still too much for Nabiki to resist. What he had planned to be a challenge within the family alone had promptly been turned into a small sporting event by the mercenary Tendo, who was currently directing traffic as she ushered in a handful of spectators to whom she had sold admission.

Genma and Ranma stood facing each other in the middle of the hall, each dressed in a white gi. Nodoka and Soun sat at the far end of the dojo, with Kasumi sitting next to her father, Akane sitting next to Nodoka at her insistence. Shingen stood leaning against the door frame with his arms behind his head, an almost tired look on his face. Daisuke and Hiroshi waved hello as they wandered in and sat near the door, along with a half dozen random upperclassmen Nabiki knew from homeroom; Sayuri and Yuka weren't there, citing homework as their excuse. The Amazons made an appearance as well; Cologne hopped over and took a seat between Nodoka and Soun, exchanging a cordial hello with each. Mousse sat down near Daisuke after exchanging greetings politely with the others; he gave Ranma a nod and a smile before taking his seat. Shampoo said a few awkward hellos before taking a seat near Kasumi, unable or unwilling to look at Akane or Ranma directly- though her gaze did wander in Mousse's direction once she was settled in. Shortly thereafter Ukyo stepped inside, gracing Genma with a scathing look before crossing the room and taking a seat with the other Furinkan students, choosing a seat close to the door.

"It sounds as if we may have an interesting bout on our hands," said Cologne offhand. Nodoka nodded, but said nothing.

"Think Ranma's really gonna do it?" "Bet his old man won't last ten minutes, tops." "D'you think it's true that his dad really threw him in a pit of wild animals?" "Look at his eyes; wouldn't wanna be in his dad's place right now…" muttered the Furinkan clique.

"Old goat deserves this, if ya ask me," scowled Ukyo with her arms crossed. "Wish I could help…"

"From what I've heard this afternoon, Ranma'll probably be glad to let you have what's left of him as a punching bag," Shingen whispered to her out of the corner of his mouth. Ukyo looked up in time to see him give her a wry smile before lapsing back into his expression of boredom. Elsewhere, Nabiki finished talking to a few of her guests and skipped lightly over to the front of the room, taking a seat next to rather irked Akane.

"I thought you agreed you weren't going to pull stuff like this anymore, oneechan," Akane hissed.

"This is different, sis," Nabiki whispered. "I'm only taking advantage of Mr. Saotome this time; no way he'll be able to stomach a loss with an audience." She paused, then smirked. "Besides, if I recall you had no compunction against getting into the betting pool yourself, Akane." Akane started to retort, then flushed and fell silent.

A hush fell over the crowd as father and son took two steps towards each other and bowed. Genma looked up nervously and wiped the sweat off his brow. _I'll have to work fast otherwise I won't have a chance,_ he thought. _Have to take advantage of an opening as soon as I can, hit him when he least expects it. I can't afford to lose now…_ His eyes trailed from Ranma to Nodoka, then Soun, then the three Tendo sisters in turn. _Oh Kami, what have I done to deserve this?_ he silently lamented, then sighed and let his shoulders slump before falling into a ready stance. _Who am I kidding, I know what I did… but… it was all for the sake of the school!_

Ranma glared at Genma with a calculating eye. _He's got something up his sleeve, I know it. Probably gonna try and catch me off guard an' blindside me with something. Like a c-cat or gods know what else… well, it ain't gonna work this time, old man. This time the gloves come off. After eleven years, I know you all too well._

Ranma dropped into a loose stance. "Time for us to settle the score once and for all, _Father_," he said in an icy voice. Genma flinched as he heard the derision in Ranma's voice, especially the emphasis on the word 'father'.

"Perhaps you need another lesson in keeping your place, boy," Genma replied, failing to hide the nervousness in his voice. "I won't go easy on you, Ranma."

Ranma flashed his favorite cocky smile. "That's just the way I like it."

At a signal from Nodoka, the duel began.

--------------------

One minute and seventeen seconds later, it was over.

Genma had promptly pulled back and disappeared into the Umisen-ken the instant the fight started, prompting Ranma and several other people to roll their eyes. The Furinkan clique, Ukyo and the Amazons had been surprised, first by his disappearance, then by his re-appearance a moment with a burglar bag suddenly full of practice weapons pilfered from around the dojo. The bag had snapped open, launching the shinai and several bokkens in Ranma's direction; Ranma barely flinched as he darted around the projectiles almost as if they weren't there. Genma burst forward and began a fusillade of punches and kicks that were at least twice as fast as anything he had done in their morning sparring sessions; Ranma responded by dodging the blows or blocking using only his left arm, keeping a glacial glare locked on the fat man in white.

Genma tried to pick up the pace and herded Ranma back with a series of jumping spin kicks, all of which Ranma evaded with ease. Pulling back to catch his breath, Genma entered the Umisen again, this time attempting to use the technique's snake bite strike to catch Ranma in the back and shoulders. Unfortunately for him, Genma's initial nervousness was beginning to show and thus the Umisen did not work properly; Ranma's hyper-sharpened aura sense followed the panicky panda and grabbed him by both wrists the second he re-appeared. A quick wrench and a spin, and Genma was sent tumbling across the room. He landed awkwardly, took a deep breath and plunged back into the fight, this time launching a flurry of insults as well as his fists in an attempt to unnerve Ranma or make him lose his temper.

Ranma almost smirked when Genma began lambasting him with words, calling him a 'weak and ungrateful son,' or a 'puny little girl'; he merely shrugged and continued deflecting blow after blow. He grabbed Genma's wrist as the older man attempted a spinning backfist, stepped to one side and yanked, sending him tumbling across the floor where he came to rest near Nodoka. Genma gulped upon seeing the look in her eyes, scrambled up and saw Ranma had turned his back. _Now's my chance!_ he thought as he dashed forward, pulling a long piece of wrapping paper out of his gi- wrapping paper that was printed with pictures of cats.

Akane and Nodoka both gasped as they saw the paper, as did several other people the moment Genma began lifting it up- shoving it in Ranma's face just as he was turning around.

For a moment, nothing happened.

A moment after that, Ranma's right fist burst through the paper and caught Genma full-force in the nose. The fat man screamed in pain and staggered backward, clutching his face as Ranma tore the rest of the wrapping paper to pieces. Akane blinked, then heaved a sigh of relief. _He must've known his dad might do that,_ she chuckled inwardly as everyone else noticed the blindfold over Ranma's eyes.

"Can't be scared by what you can't see, old man," said Ranma emotionlessly as he advanced on Genma, battle aura flaring reddish-gold around him. "Your tricks aren't gonna work this time… and by the way, your grace period is over." He cracked his knuckles. "Now I get serious."

A second later, a side kick to Genma's stomach had knocked the wind out of him. Three seconds later an intercepted eye gouge left Genma with a sprained wrist. Four seconds after that, Ranma parried a high kick and retaliated with a punch that cracked Genma's cheekbone and knocked three of his back teeth out. This in turn was followed with a well-placed lightning series of side kicks and a reverse roundhouse that broke two of the old man's ribs, cracked a third, dislocated his shoulder and hyperextended his right knee. As he fell, Ranma grabbed him by the collar, spun him around with one arm, ripped the blindfold off his eyes and gave Genma a look that would burn a hole through wood.

One look at his eyes was all Genma needed to freeze up. They weren't the eyes of the son he remembered from so long ago, before the start of the ten-year training trip. They weren't the eyes of a laughing, happy child that suddenly emerged in his mind's eye. They were the eyes of a blooded warrior- a man who had been pushed to and beyond the breaking point. They were eyes that held little or no love for him, only cold, controlled anger. For the first time in his life, the full weight of Genma's actions began to crush down upon him harder than Akane's mallet- he had achieved his goal and made Ranma into a fighter beyond his greatest expectations, but at the same time, he had broken the father-son bond between them. No amount of berating or guilting his son would bring that back.

"Do you yield?" Ranma snarled.

Genma wanted to say yes. He tried to say yes. But seeing the look in his son's eyes and feeling the amount of physical pain he had been subjected to in such a short span of time, he was in no condition to speak. His tongue refused to listen to him and he began to shake in fear. _This can't be happening, I didn't mean it, son… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… great Kami, I've been such a fool…_ Unable to say anything, he simply let his head drop forward.

Ranma released him and let him drop to the ground, then breathed out a long sigh. "Good answer," he said quietly. "I didn't wanna hurt you any more than I had to." He straightened up and flipped his bangs out of his eyes. _Heh. Didn't even break a sweat._

Nodoka stood up. "This duel is finished," she said in a serious tone. "By surrender, victory and the title of Master of the Saotome school belong to Ranma Saotome." She turned and bowed to the combatants, then smiled broadly. _Well done, my son… you did the noble thing, offering the fat fool a chance to yield._ Akane beamed happily; Cologne nodded at Ranma appraisingly. The Furinkan clique gave him a healthy round of applause, though Daisuke was grousing about the fight being too short. Shampoo was applauding as well, though far more subdued. Mousse gave him a nod and a thumbs-up. Shingen simply smiled and nodded.

"Good going, Ran-chan," said Ukyo from the sidelines with a grin. "It's about time, too," she added under her breath.

"I'll bet he's had that coming for a good long while now," muttered Shingen as she and the others got up from their seats. "Still amazes me, the level of control Ranma's got; I could feel his anger earlier and he could easily have put that man in intensive care with just a fraction more power."

Ukyo shrugged. "You've only known him a short while, sugar," she said. "Stick around him for the better part of a year, you'll get used to it." _Though I doubt I'd ever get used to seeing him at full power, like yesterday,_ she thought. Not far from where they were, the others began crowding around Nabiki to see who won the duel pool. The Amazons were discussing something with Nodoka, and Akane was giving Ranma a congratulatory hug- apparently not minding doing so in public.

Still seated on his cushion, Soun looked sadly at the battered and broken body of his old friend and sighed. In his heart of hearts, he knew the fight would have happened sooner or later- he'd known it ever since learning about the Neko-ken training and Genma's string of fiancée incidents. He hadn't said much about it in deference to their past friendship, but he had worried for a long time that karma was eventually going to catch up to Genma. Soun knew he was being weak, but he hadn't known what else to do- Genma had always been the strong one, even when they were training. Events of the past week, though, had shown him things in a much different light. Not to mention Genma's outburst in the foyer, where he had not only berated Ranma meaninglessly, but had insulted Akane and Nabiki in the process- and shown a severe lack of gratitude towards Shingen's Purge attempt.

He folded his arms and gave the wounded man a pitying look. "It is true what they say, I suppose- that we reap what we sow," he said to himself quietly. "I only hope you may learn from this, old friend." _I know I have…_

--------------------

Dinner that night was peaceful. Genma stayed out in the dojo wrapped in a blanket- his wounds mended, surprisingly, by Ranma's utilization of a basic Naosu Kousen. It didn't heal as effectively as Shingen's technique, but was enough to set and expedite the healing of Genma's broken ribs. Soun brought a light dinner to him and acted as a sounding board as Genma perused the challenge note and occasionally blubbered over the loss of the school. The rest of the household gathered around the dinner table.

"That was pretty damn generous of you, little bro," said Nabiki as she took a sip of tea. "Patching him up after kicking the crap out of him… and how did you manage to do that trick, anyway?"

Ranma finished his mouthful of fish before turning to her and shrugging. "That 'trick' was just a little something I learned over the weekend," he said. "As for patching him up… well, it's not like he hasn't done anything decent. Just wanted to make it even for the one or two things he did right for me."

"I think you'd be hard pressed to figure out what he did right," Akane chuckled.

Ranma turned and looked her in the eye. _He brought me here, didn't he? We wouldn't have met if he hadn't done his meddling; that's about the only thing I'm really thankful to him for. Don't ya think so too, 'kane?_

_Oh yeah… you're right,_ she replied wordlessly with a blush. _He did do that much, even if we both hated it in the beginning…_ She took a bite of her own meal and swallowed, then smiled. _Maybe I should think about thanking him once he's had a chance to get over the shock._

Ranma snickered. _He might not believe you, you know… and who knows if he'll ever get over this shock…_

"Hey, what's with you two?" Nabiki piped up. "I swear, it's like you're both lost in your own little world over there."

The two teens immediately flushed and turned their attention back to the table. "It's nothing, Nabs," said Ranma awkwardly.

"First off, stop calling me 'Nabs', okay?" she replied with a half-lidded glare. "Secondly, if you've got some kinda private joke you're sharing, why not let us in on it?" She paused, then smirked. "Did something… _happen_ on this little trip of yours?"

"Nabiki, how can you ask something like that?" Kasumi asked, giving her younger sister a disapproving look.

"It isn't very polite to pry into their personal matters, dear," Nodoka added. "Whatever it is that may or may not have happened while they were away, it's not our concern." At her words, Akane and Ranma breathed out a silent sigh of relief, though the blush they sported did not fade completely.

"My sentiments exactly, Nodoka-san," said Shingen from his place at the end of the table.

"Okay, fine," Nabiki groaned. "Just wondering why you two seemed to be carrying on a conversation without actually talking, that's all. All those looks you keep giving each other, it's making me sick."

"Oh, don't be like that, Nabiki," said Kasumi. "Personally, I think it's sweet."

"Whatever." She took another swig of tea. "Anyway… how's it feel now that he's out and you're in, Ranma?"

Ranma bristled. "Putting it a little bluntly, are we, Nabiki?"

"Geez, sorry."

"Well, she does have a point," said Akane. "Still… it is a little much to take in all at once, Ranma. And I'll bet you anything your dad's not going to stand for it for too long." She paused, then smiled. "Despite the fact the better man did win."

Ranma shrugged. "I think he was overdue for retirement a month ago," he said before turning serious. "Still, you're right- he's not gonna be happy in the morning. He _is_ still head of the Saotome clan, after all, so even if he's not head of the school right now…"

"Not quite," Nodoka murmured. Everyone except Nabiki paused and turned to look at her.

"Huh? Whatcha mean, 'not quite'?"

"Yeah, what's that supposed to mean, Auntie?"

Nodoka set her chopsticks down and gave the others a wry smile. "There was more at stake in that challenge letter than just the school," she said softly. "The truth is, I've been worried ever since Saturday about whether he might have anything else up his sleeve- especially when it comes to the arranged marriage between our houses. Since you and Akane aren't twenty years old yet, you wouldn't legally be able to take over the dojo when the two of you do marry- meaning he would likely be set up as trustee of the dojo until such time as you were old enough to claim it."

Ranma scowled. "Geez Loueeze, I hadn't thought of that… he'd be in a prime position to squander everything."

"He wouldn't dare…" said Akane in a dangerous tone.

"He might," Nodoka murmured. "I can't say for sure, but after everything I've learned it's a risk I don't want you to take. Which is why I took the liberty of making this duel a true 'winners-take-all' situation."

She paused and cast a sly look in the direction of the dojo. "He left the Saotome clan seals in my possession when he left on that abominable training trip, probably so he could avoid signing any binding documents. And as I have full use of those seals, there wasn't much trouble to prepare and file the necessary paperwork. A little bit of trouble over the terms, but Nabiki-chan was most helpful in drawing them up in our favor."

Ranma's eyes widened. "Hey, wait a minute… Mom, don't tell me you're throwing Pop out of the clan…"

"No, Ranma, that's not what I've done." She took a deep breath. "But from what I've learned about his past actions, I've come to the conclusion that he is unfit to be head of the Saotome clan." A sudden howl echoed from the dojo, a pained, mournful howl. "I'm afraid Genma may have just read the section of the challenge that deals with that… and what would happen if he were to lose."

"Auntie…" Akane breathed. "Are you saying what I think you are?"

"She's saying the 'winner takes all', sis, just like the challenge says," said Nabiki with a grin. "Ranma's not just head of the school now… once he reaches Majority age in a few years, he'll be head of the Clan as well." She flashed the two suddenly wide-eyed teens a grin. "Always happy to help out family; no need to thank me now, you can just owe me a favor."

Ranma blinked. "Mom, you can't be serious, can you?"

"Unless Genma can find a way to redeem what honor he has left in my eyes and yours," Nodoka replied with a sad smile, "then he is unworthy of leading our family any longer. I know it's sudden, son; I'm sorry, but I can't take the chance that he'll try to ruin our family name more than he already has. And as much as it galls me to do so… it allows me to give him one last chance to become the man he used to be. If he can't do that… then I may have to consider something more permanent."

Kasumi shook her head in amazement. "Oh, my…"

"I don't believe it…" Ranma said softly. "So it really was all or nothing out there…" Akane nodded, and for a moment nobody said much of anything.

"Does that mean… wait, if he becomes head of the Clan when he's twenty, who's in charge now?" Akane asked at length.

"For the time being, that responsibility falls to me," said Nodoka quietly. "As trustee in his name, and only until you're old enough, son. In truth, I would as soon have you named Clan leader right now… but you are still underage, and besides… you have enough to worry about at the moment as it is." She paused, then looked up. "I had to take a step towards restoring our honor some way, Ranma. Please understand…"

Ranma took a deep breath. "It's… it's okay, Mom… I understand. Guess it's just gonna take me a while ta wrap my head around this." He paused, then smiled slightly. "Can't say I blame you for it much… and you're right, he did pretty much drag the Saotome name through the mud. 'Bout time we got around to fixing it."

Akane nodded slowly, then smirked. "Now that I think about it, there's something else that I think _both_ of us need to get around to."

Ranma looked up. "What's that?"

"Homework. We have to go back to classes tomorrow, remember?" She giggled, prompting a laugh out of him, and pretty soon the entire table was laughing.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that," Ranma groaned theatrically, standing up from the table. "Might as well get it done sooner or later."

"Not too much later, otherwise you might fall asleep in Ms. Hinako's class again, dummy."

Ranma smirked and puffed his chest out. "Hey, a little respect for the Master of the Saotome school, please?"

"Okay then, let's go hit the books, _sensei_ dummy." She giggled and dashed out of the room with a laughing Ranma hot on her heels.

Kasumi leaned on the table and sighed. "My word… so much goings-on, and in such a short span of time, too."

"Most likely the continued influences of the chaos stream in this ward," Shingen mused, downing the last of his tea. "This does seem to be a place prone to strange happenstance."

"Indeed," the eldest Tendo daughter replied. "What with all the spirits, pranksters and other such that kept cropping up these days- and now this new wrinkle- it's a wonder that Akane and Ranma had any chance at all to have some peace and quiet."

"I very seriously doubt that those two will _ever_ have a full day of peace and quiet," Nabiki added.

There was another moment of silence.

"You know," Kasumi finally said, "I still think it was in slightly bad taste to make a betting pool on how fast Ranma could defeat Mr. Saotome."

"Oneechan, we both knew he could win any day of the week, the question was how fast he could do it."

"So who did win that pool, anyway?" Nodoka asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "_Akane,_" she grumbled, prompting snickers out of Nodoka and Kasumi. "I don't get it, she never wanted any part of those before, and she seemed so damn _sure_ of the timeframe she chose. It's like she knew what was going to happen ahead of time- almost like she was reading his mind."

Shingen coughed and looked away, hiding a smirk.

"I'm surprised you didn't invite more people than you did," Kasumi said.

Nabiki shrugged. "No way in hell I was inviting the Kuno Crazies here, despite the profits we could've made. Only other place I tried was the Unryuu place, but some old geezer said Akari-chan and Ryoga were out on a lunch date."

"Lunch date? It's awfully late for lunch," said Nodoka with a raised eyebrow.

"That's what he said. Said they left that morning, so with any luck they'll be home tomorrow, unless Akari remembered to pack a map." She giggled.

--------------------

In a distant pit of darkness, a pair of violet eyes cracked open.

_Damnation. The idiot pawn failed to do any reasonable harm, and the Gate Key is out of our hands. It would seem I underestimated the scions of Sagara and Saito; their power grows faster still._

_It would appear we will need to take things to another level. You must continue to observe them, minion. You may not have been able to see what happened at the Oni Gate closely, but even you can tell their power is a force to be reckoned with._

_I will not be able to act to my full extent until the final seal drops… though I have every reason to believe it will fall soon. You and your brothers… do what you do best. Sow the seeds of chaos; be my eyes and ears till I am free once again._

_And free I shall be before long. The Hidden One has been biding his time._

_Once he acts, it shall be the beginning of the end. My revenge will be brought to completion. In the meantime…_

_Search out the mad canines. Their blood yearns for the chance to spread anarchy and destruction. They will serve my purpose well. Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war._

The green-eyed imp bowed low before the violet eyes and disappeared into the darkness.

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Note 10/3/05: Well, this chapter got a little longer than I expected, but the further I get in this chronicle the more detail it seems to warrant. Hopefully this installment has lived up to expectations. I know it got a little WAFFy in parts, maybe a little too introspective, but this was a period of growing up that everyone needed.

Some of you may be asking why Nodoka didn't just have Genma disowned and then divorce him, or something else. Well, IMHO, that would have been giving him the easy way out. Death or divorce, as painful as it would have been, would have gotten him out of Nodoka's wrath too quickly. And as much as I consider Genma to be a rat bastard- a sentiment shared by most, it would seem- I think Nodoka still has it in her heart to offer him one last chance. But not one that would give him a chance to scam the family again, mind you.

I'm not entirely sure of how Japanese culture operates, or the rules concerning the head of the Clan. Majority Age(legal age of adulthood) is twenty, that much I do know- and considering how much Ranma and Akane still have to deal with, and considering Nodoka is aware of the Hunter blood, it seems to me she would want to make an arrangement such as this. It strips Genma of his authority while keeping Ranma from being overwhelmed for the time being- and who doesn't think Nodoka would make a better leader than the panda?

Not that many people, in this humble author's opinion.

Dragon Man 180: As the expression goes, payback's a bitch, ne? Glad you liked the fight; you're right about Ranma's energy level being a little crazy. In a previous life he was probably a hummingbird. Heh.

Borg rabbit: Thank you for the compliment, I try my best with the fights.

Martrex: You were right about the introspective transition; are you reading my mind? Glad you liked it.

Wonderbee31: Hopefully what they've meted out to Genma meets with at least a few of your expectations. Kuno may not have gotten the spanking he deserves in this installment, but all things come to those who wait.

Taro MD: Well, part one of Genma's comeuppance has come to pass. As for sending Kuno to the loony bin, while it is a common sentiment, whether that happens is yet to be seen.

Little Minamino: Thanks for your support.

AriesNoShion: Glad you're enjoying this work; I try to outdo myself with each major fight scene. Hopefully I can continue to satisfy; thanks for your support, and I'll update when I can.

LoneWolf3CC: Thanks; hope this chapter satisfies.

Ranma-fanatic04: Thanks for your continued support.

Priestess Kohana: Thanks for your kind words; keep up the good work on your own writing.

The-Shadow002: Well, what can I say, I'm a detail fanatic. Like to get everything down if I can; helps other people see what I see in my mind's eye. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

AmnarJoey: Thanks for your compliment; I'm still not sure if I'm good enough to write an entirely original work yet, but I am thankful for your vote of confidence.

To everyone who's read this chronicle, thank you. I've been having fun writing this, and while it will end eventually, for now there's still much to be done. If you'd leave me a review I'd be very grateful; I'd like to know if what I'm doing is hitting on all cylinders, as it were. No flames, please. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	29. Storm Warnings

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own anything- except the computer I use to write this and other stories. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 29: Storm Warnings

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The approach of dawn was strangely quiet at the Tendo estate. An early morning mist hung in the air like gauze curtains, softening the approach of the sun. The odd bird chirped in response, but few if any sounds accompanied it. A light breeze brushed through the leaves of nearby trees, soft and whispering. It, too, garnered little response. As the sun crept higher, another bird would chime in from time to time, with nary a noise to interrupt it. In some places, it would seem to be the picture of an everyday, peaceful morning. Which made it all the more unusual; mornings at the Tendo estate were never so peaceful.

There were no vicious sparring sounds. No insults hollered, no screams, no thud of a mallet to be heard. There wasn't even the foghorn-like snore of a panda.

One sound's absence had an apt explanation. The panda wasn't in the house to do the snoring. The previous night, a withdrawn and shellshocked Genma had returned(read: hoisted over his wife and son's shoulders and dragged) to the Saotome household, where he had fallen asleep(after tripping and falling on his face) in his own bedroom. Ranma had wondered if Nodoka would ask him to stay home again, rather than return to the Tendos', but surprisingly, she had not, recommending instead that he stay where he felt most comfortable.

Part of her had wanted him to stay, but at the same time she hadn't wanted to put him in an awkward position; with the way things were developing between him and Akane, she could sense that he wouldn't want to leave the dojo again. And there were certain things- things Nodoka had discussed with a certain Amazon matriarch- that she didn't want him to get involved with or have to worry about. It wasn't something she looked forward to, but she hadn't been able to think of anything better.

The other sounds' absence from the estate was due to many similar reasons, many of which had occurred over the past week.

The fighting sounds, however, did not disappear completely. They were merely slightly delayed.

--------------------

Akane stirred. Her eyelids fluttered slightly and she rolled onto her right side. A slight sigh escaped her mouth as she began to make the transition from sleep to semi-wakened, once again reluctantly leaving her dreams behind. She stretched her hand out, flexing her fingers one at a time… and then stopped, muscles tensing.

_Something's there. I can feel it._ Her newly sharpened aura began to reach out, acting as a second set of eyes in her half-asleep state. _It's coming towards me…_

She could feel the intruder in her room pause for a moment, felt its own aura recede, pulling back until it almost couldn't be felt. A long moment passed, and then Akane could feel it advancing again. Slowly but surely, bit by bit, until it was almost on top of her bed. It was being stealthy, to be sure, but not enough. She could feel it practically over her head now… powerful, yet strangely hesitant.

She felt a faint movement… could almost 'see' a limb extending forward, coming towards her hand… mere centimeters over her wrist…

Her eyes snapped open. "GOTCHA!" she shouted with a grin, grabbing the limb with lightning reflexes and pulling towards the wall; the owner of the limb gasped and rolled through the air, just as she rolled up and hooked him downwards, slamming him deftly onto the mattress. She continued with the motion of her throw, planting her elbows on the intruder's chest as she straddled his stomach, a coy smile etched on her face.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing in my room, Mr. Saotome?" she asked; she was trying to look imposing, but the light dancing in her eyes ruined the effect.

The pig-tailed teen beneath her chuckled. "Well, uh… I just… thought I'd left some of my homework in here last night when you were givin' me a hand on that math problem, that's all."

Akane gave him a half-lidded look and smirked. "I find that hard to believe, Ranma."

Ranma folded his hands under his head. "Would you believe I was looking for a lost sock?"

"In _my_ room?" She giggled. "Well… unlikely at best. Still don't believe you."

"Um… sleepwalking?" He flashed her a huge grin; she growled in mock-irritation.

"Nope. Don't believe that."

"Your dad sent me here to wake you?" "He might, but I doubt it." "Kasumi sent me?" "Try again, goofball." "I… thought this was the bathroom?" "If you were Ryoga I might believe that…" It was getting harder for both of them to keep a straight face; fortunately Ranma chose that moment to stop kidding around.

"How about this. I was hoping to talk ya into an early morning exercise since my usual sparring partner kind of… retired, shall we say, recently." He propped himself up on his shoulders and gave her a warm smile. "And… I thought I might try waking you with a kiss, Sleeping Beauty."

Akane flushed slightly and smiled in return. "Now _that_ I think I can believe… though that last part was a little too syrupy for my taste."

"Eh, it was worth a shot," Ranma replied. "I ain't so good with mushy talk, y'know."

"I know… but it's the thought that counts," said Akane as she leaned a little closer and gave him a quick peck on the lips. She pulled back and looked at him for a moment, then started to giggle again.

"Huh? What's so funny?"

"Just… well, everything," she replied. She reached over and brushed a hair away from his eyes. "Not too long ago I probably would've put you through the floor by now."

Ranma blinked and nodded slowly. "Yeah… either because of something I didn't mean to say or just 'cause I happened to be in here." He took a deep breath and shook his head, a wry smile emerging. "Heh. And it only took us a year to get a friggin' clue."

Akane nodded. "Well, get a clue and deal with the local loony bin at the same time," she chuckled. "It's strange, though… only one year, but it felt like it was a lot longer, y'know?"

"I know what you mean."

A moment passed before Ranma suddenly took on a thoughtful look. "Hey, speaking of years and time an' all…" He shifted to one side; Akane quickly disentangled herself from him as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I just remembered something."

"What's that?"

"Well… uh… I don't think we ever got around to setting a date."

"Date? What do you mean, setting a… OH," Akane replied. "Oh. Right, THAT date." A sudden thought hit her, and her smile faltered some. "Oh no… we never did tell Dad about us; we tell him that you proposed now and we might end up with another forced fiasco on our hands." Her eyes suddenly widened. _Wait… oh crap, we can't talk about this out loud now, he'll hear us!_

Ranma shook his head. _I doubt it, 'kane. Your dad's still sound asleep in his room. Kasumi's down in the kitchen right now, and Nabiki's still asleep._ He paused, then smirked. _And don't worry about Nabs' surveillance gear, either; I turned it off at the source before I came in._

Akane blinked. _You messed with Nabiki's stuff?_

_I didn't mess with the hardware. I just turned it off and stole most of her blank tapes while I was in the Umisen-ken, that's all._ He flashed her a 'cat that ate the canary' smile and she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Oh, you are such a BAKA!" she giggled, swatting him on the head. "You know she's gonna throw a fit when she finds out!"

"Not necessarily," he quipped. "Something tells me she'll be in a pretty good mood for a few days- given the share me an' Mom gave her out of Pop's secret stash."

Akane paused for a moment, then smirked as she remembered the two of them procuring a metal strongbox the previous night, one that Genma had apparently hidden under the tatami mats and floorboards of his and Ranma's room. How long it had been there was anyone's guess, but no one had been surprised to discover large wads of banknotes inside- Genma's 'retirement plan', Nabiki had joked acidly. It was only the amount of banknotes that was any real surprise, given how often Genma had appeared to be in need of cash. Nodoka had shaken her head in disappointment, wondering how much of the money had been scammed and how much had been stolen. Ranma had been partly stunned and partly disgusted.

Nearly half that money had gone straight to the Tendos at Nodoka's insistence, as compensation for room and board for Genma. The rest had gone home with her, to be used in a similar fashion. _"It is past time his debts were repaid,"_ she had said before she and Ranma had dragged him home.

"Well… you do have a point; I almost heard cash registers going off in her head when you and your Mom gave her that much money at once," she said. "Thought she was going to faint for a moment."

"Me too," said Ranma. "So a little thing like a missing tape or two probably won't faze her too much today." He shifted closer to her and took her hand in his. "So, like I was saying…"

"Huh? Oh… oh yeah, setting a date." She paused for a moment in thought, then looked up. "What'd you have in mind?"

Ranma shrugged. "Dunno. We still got a few things we gotta get cleaned up, plus take care o' school… assuming we haven't missed too many classes by now." He rolled his eyes; she nodded in agreement. "But I don't wanna wait too long either… I wasted too much time already beatin' around the damn bush, y'know. But then again…" He paused, then shrugged and smiled. "Fact is, whatever time is best for you is fine by me, 'kane."

Akane beamed. _Wow. I never thought I'd see the day Ranma Saotome started acting this grown-up about things… course, it didn't help that I was too busy blowing my top to grow up myself…_ She squeezed his hand. "Yeah, we do have a few things to take care of… especially the whole bloodline thing… but I'm not so sure I want to wait too long, either." She paused, then got up, pulling him along with her. "It's only a couple more weeks until summer break; maybe we could try for mid-August? I know we'd still have to finish up school, but given the rate we're going we might have most of our other messes cleaned up by then."

"August? That'd be kinda short-notice…"

"Ranma, our fathers can pull a wedding ceremony out of thin air in less than a day, remember? Assuming we let them get involved, that is…"

He paused, then groaned theatrically. "How could I forget…" he muttered before joining his fiancée in a chuckle. "Well, if that's what you want…"

"That's what I'll get," Akane finished with authority- and a soft smile. "Now, what was that you said earlier about sparring?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah. It's still plenty early yet, we oughta be able to get a good warm-up at least- if you want to."

"Great. Let me get changed and I'll meet you outside in a few."

"I'll be looking forward to it, beautiful," he replied, giving her a quick hug and a kiss before slipping out the door. Akane quickly doffed her pajamas as she opened her closet, pulling out a clean gi and laying her school uniform on the bed.

Five minutes later, the sounds of sparring mixed with laughter and light-hearted jokes emerged from the backyard of the Tendo estate. Nabiki stirred in her bedroom, sat up briefly, groaned and flopped back again with a light snore. Soun emerged from his room, his face an odd mixture of regret and joy at the same time. Shingen eventually appeared from his rented room and sat on the back porch, nodding approvingly as the two teens darted back and forth across the yard in a ballet of punches, kicks and attempted grapples far beyond anything Ranma and Genma had done in the past year. Kasumi paused for a moment in her kitchen duties to listen, then returned to work, a brilliant smile on her face.

--------------------

The return to school routines went surprisingly easily. The morning jog to the gates had no interruption by bicycle-riding delivery girls, no psychotic gymnasts, not even a random death threat bellowed out of nowhere. Ranma hadn't even been splashed by the old lady who cleaned her walkway each morning- though this fact was attributed to him and Akane taking an alternate route. Rather than the usual sidewalk jog, the two of them engaged in another game of Tag, starting at the dojo and ending at Furinkan's front gate. It made quite a sight to see, two teens laughing and tossing jokes back and forth as they bounded across Nerima's skyline almost effortlessly. Of course, having seen stranger things, most people took it in stride and turned to their own affairs.

Their arrival at the gates was slowed, however, by an unexpected welcoming committee. They had almost expected Kuno to show up, even in his injured state… but he wasn't there when they were. Instead, half the student body seemed to swarm them the second they stepped onto the grounds, inundating them with a barrage of questions. "Did I hear right?" "Way to go, Saotome; you kicked some major ass yesterday!" "Course he did, nobody can beat that guy!" "He really pummeled his own father? That's awful!" "Yuka, everyone knows his old man's a damn con artist…" "More than that if I heard right, Daisuke…" "Did you two really go out of town on a trip together?" "I saw you two hugging after that fight; I knew it all along!" "Akane, did he really defeat a hundred eight-foot tall barbarians to save you? How romantic!" "Hey, I heard it was five hundred barbarians with clubs and swords! My brother's girlfriend's cousin's best friend saw the fight herself!"

Ranma groaned inwardly. _Well, some things never change, do they, Acchan?_

_I guess not,_ she answered with a sigh of her own. _Something tells me they're gonna be pestering us all day… better not tell them now, huh?_

Ranma shook his head. _Hell no. We let slip that we're engaged for real and they'll never let up._ He gritted his teeth and turned back to the crowd. "HEY! If you don't all shut up and let us through, every one of us is gonna be on bucket duty for bein' late again! An' I'm NOT in the mood right now!"

"Yeah, me neither!" Akane piped up. "So will you please stop pestering us and let me and Ranma in?" She grabbed his hand and started pushing her way through a momentarily stunned crowd. Ranma caught up rapidly, but they hadn't gone more than a few yards before the questions started up again.

"Look, they're holding hands!" "Hey Saotome, there something you ain't telling us?" "Something happen on that little trip of yours?" "Does this mean you two are really…"

Ranma stopped, turned on his heel and glared. "Next person that asks another dumb question gets a sparring match with me and Akane at the same time."

"SAOTOME!" bellowed a very familiar, very angry voice, quite obviously in a good deal of pain. Ranma and Akane both turned around, a slow burn in their eyes as they watched a heavily bandaged Kuno hobble towards them, bokken in hand. "How dare you show your face before me? Our duel is far from over, thou perverse barbaric Lothario! HAVE AT THEE!" He staggered forward, laboriously attempting to execute his pattern strike.

"Big mistake, you bastard," Ranma growled. "I told you I was done fooling around." He quickly stepped into Kuno's pattern and grabbed the bokken with his left hand, then pulled as he spun on his left heel clockwise. Kuno was promptly yanked off balance, and a second later was seeing stars as Ranma delivered a bone-jarring hook kick to the back of his head with his right foot. The upperclassman collapsed heavily, releasing the bokken- which Ranma promptly broke into splinters with one squeeze of his hand.

Ranma straightened up and heaved a heavy sigh. "C'mon Akane, don't wanna be late because of the local moron, do we?" He gave her a devilish grin, which she returned readily. The other students took in the sight in front of them and quickly decided it wasn't a good day to bother _either_ Akane or Ranma. The mob dispersed, and Akane strode over to Ranma's side- stepping roughly on Kuno's sword hand in the process. The two of them locked hands again and walked in, bracing themselves for the rest of the day.

--------------------

A large shadow moved slowly but surely through the trees in the local park- in most cases around the trees, though in others, some smaller trees were left bent or broken in the beast's wake. Several birds decided it was time to roost elsewhere, prompted by the shudders sent through the ground with each step taken by the shadow's owner. It moved in one direction at first, then would turn and move in another before pausing again, changing direction and proceeding once more.

At length, the giant slowed to a halt at the urging of one of two figures on its back.

"I think we took a wrong turn somewhere. If only Grandfather had made us a better map."

"You sure we have to go to this particular store? What's wrong with just any old pet store, I'm sure they'd have what we need."

Akari shook her head. "I doubt it, sweetie. Grandfather's very particular about what we give to the younger pigs when they get sick. He used to visit this store all the time before he got ill; he trusts them, and he wouldn't be satisfied with anything less."

Ryoga sighed. "I know, Akari-chan, I know. It's just that… well, the only thing clear on that piece of paper is the address, and you know how bad I am with even that much."

"Which is why I was wishing he'd given us a better map," she replied.

Ryoga shook his head. "Wish I could be more help to you."

Akari looked up, then smiled and hugged him from behind. "Ryoga, don't worry about it. You're getting a little better; we didn't take too many wrong turns coming home yesterday, right?" She nestled her head against his shoulder. "Besides… it was kind of fun taking the scenic route home."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. "I just… I just wish I could find the way for both of us for once. Then maybe we wouldn't need to leave the house with a map every time we want to go to some place new." He turned around and looked at her. "And what if we wound up getting separated… what if… what if I couldn't find my way back and…"

Akari ran a thumb along his cheekbone tenderly. "Sweetheart, you're just going to work yourself up again," she said softly. "You _are_ getting better, I promise you. You didn't wander away from the estate all weekend, right?"

"…Right."

"You didn't get lost too badly inside our house, did you?"

"Well, no… not after the first few hours…"

"Then stop worrying about it for now," she finished with a bright smile. "Come on, let's get out of this park and get some directions; Katsushiro's fever won't get better if we don't get that medicine. And Grandfather thinks he's got real promise."

Ryoga paused, then nodded with a half-smile of his own. "Yeah, I'll admit that one does have some potential, even if he is still young," he chuckled as Katsunishiki began waddling out of the park. "Though if you ask me, the big guy here oughta be more concerned with Kikuchiyo; that boy near managed to head-butt me out of the ring in yesterday's exercises." The sumo pig beneath them gave a derisive grunt. "Hey big guy, afraid of a little competition, I see!"

"I'm not so sure about that, Ryoga," Akari giggled. "Kikuchiyo might be strong, but he's still so darned reckless and overconfident…" Their voices faded as their mount sped up, moving quickly beyond the thicker tree clusters of the park.

As they left, they failed to notice a gray, green-eyed figure peering around a clump of bushes. Its eyes narrowed in a gleeful leer before it turned to the shadows below a cluster of cherry trees. It raised its right hand; eldritch sigils etched into the flesh of its palm glowed a deep indigo as it made three short, sharp gestures.

_Rise up now, friends. Spread the seed of chaos. Leave the shadows behind and wreak havoc where you see fit. I shall attend to the needs of my Lord. Now go._

The imp faded back into the shadows with a sneer. Below the trees, the shadows bulged and distended, rising up into large quadruped shapes easily the size of an adult Bengal tiger. Each shadow lazily clawed at the earth with muscular, three-toed forelegs, and glowing red eyes emerged from the blackness of each beast's head.

--------------------

A pair of knarled hands brushed lightly over Genma Saotome's bald head, tracing odd patterns on different points of the scalp. He snorted lightly, but did not rouse from the deep sleep he was in. The hands paused for a moment, then resumed their motion, massaging a spot here, pressing firmly there.

"He sleeps like a bear," the owner of the hands mused. "Hasn't changed since I first saw him. That may make this easier."

"I'm surprised you even offered to do something like this," said a younger voice from the side of the room. "I thought you might refuse."

Cologne looked up. "In most circumstances, I probably would have refused," she said before resuming her work. "But then, these are not most circumstances. And frankly, this might be the only sort of thing that could teach this whippersnapper a good lesson."

Nodoka sighed. "I only wish it hadn't come to this," she murmured, absently fingering the saya of her katana. "But I just can't bring myself to break with him completely- not even after learning about what he did to my baby." She looked up, a sudden hint of steel in her eyes. "Not until I'm sure he cannot be redeemed."

"Which is why you came to me after the match last night," Cologne replied, shuffling to a small incense pot and lighting the contents. She quickly replaced the lid and chanted several arcane phrases, then turned and prodded Nodoka out of the room. Once outside, the two of them closed the door.

"As I said, under most cases I would have been reluctant to do this even for a sister of the tribe- much less an Outsider." Cologne paused, then smiled. "However, given what I know about that fat fool and what he did to Ranma… well, I suppose every now and then I can bend tradition a tiny bit."

"I fear I am indebted to you, Honored Elder," said Nodoka, bowing her head.

"Oh, don't worry, my dear- in truth, I only wonder why I wasn't tempted to do this to that moron beforehand." She smirked, then chuckled. "Perhaps it was because I was too focused on his son at the time."

"Perhaps," Nodoka replied with a wry smile. She looked at the closed door, partly out of concern, partly out of the ire she still held for the sleeping man inside. "So what do we do now?"

"We do nothing," said Cologne. "The Sleep of a Thousand Memories will do the work for us. Right now, he should be revisiting every vile and dishonorable thing he has done in his life. The incense combined with the pressure points brings it all back in clear focus… and without any of the rose-tinted lenses he probably viewed them with. All we have to do is wait."

Nodoka nodded. "And then?"

"Then hopefully he'll have a clue." She glanced to one side, towards Nodoka's sword. "And if not… then you may need to re-examine your options, dear."

Nodoka's face fell slightly, but quickly regained itself. "Indeed, I might have to. And if it comes to that…" Her grip on her sword tightened. "Then I will do what I must to redeem the Saotome honor."

Cologne nodded appraisingly. "I can see where Ranma gets his strong sense of honor from," she murmured. "I daresay, you'd have made a fine tribal sister. It's a shame you weren't born a Joketsuzoku."

Nodoka smiled and bowed again. "You flatter me, Elder," she said. Snorts and occasional mumbles began to emerge from Genma's room. "Is there anything I can do to repay you for helping me?"

Cologne shrugged. "Perhaps you might allow an old woman to join you for tea," she replied. "My great-granddaughter and Mousse can keep the restaurant going by themselves for a while… and I would like to get to know the new head of Saotome clan a little better," she added with a chuckle.

"Well, that's not entirely accurate," Nodoka replied as the two walked down the hall to the Saotome tearoom. "Technically that title more properly belongs to my son; I only keep it in trust for him until he comes of age."

"Perhaps, but you are the clan Matriarch, my dear," Cologne said with a grin. "Where I come from, the two are one and the same."

--------------------

As for Genma, to say that he was having an unpleasant dream was like saying the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was uncomfortably warm. As the incense took effect, he became increasingly agitated and assaulted by image upon image, memory upon memory. He felt like he was standing on an endless sea of black water- and every time he turned around, a ghostly image of Nodoka in ritual garb confronted him, katana drawn and ready.

"_You broke your word, Genma… you have tarnished the clan's honor… you must pay…"_

Images were breaking through the surface of the water… images of the time he sold his infant son for some fish and pickles… the con job where he swiped Kuonji's yattai, leaving a crying Ukyo behind… the scams he'd pulled at various monasteries, convincing them to take them in and then stealing what he could before running off… then more memories, worse ones. He pulled away, trying to close his eyes and cover his ears, but ghostly hands forced his senses open.

"_No, Daddy, please… don't make me go in there, I don't wanna learn this technique! Please, not again… Daddy, it hurts! Help me!" "Will you stop your whining, Ranma? Get back in that pit and learn that technique already!" "Please! Don't make me do this, Dad! I wanna go home…"_ The cries began cutting through him like razor wire as memories of the Neko-ken training erupted in front of him. Every detail was crystal clear- and not merely the sights and sounds. The _pain_ was becoming all too clear. The pain he had inflicted on his son because he failed to read the full manual. Pain that would never be fully healed.

Genma felt himself doubling over as waves of nausea hit him, but the images didn't stop. More images and sounds came to bear, more hellacious training… throwing his son out of trees, hurling logs at his head and chest… and then more memories, events that he had orchestrated ever since their arrival in Nerima. The lies when Nodoka had reappeared with the contract… more scams to get free food or an extra bit of cash… and as the images continued their assault, he began to see something he hoped he would never see.

He saw himself. He saw the man behind the white gi, glasses and bandanna… and due to the nature of the pressure points and the incense, saw for the first time how others saw him. Nothing was glossed over- none of his traits toned down. His self-image of the ever-dedicated martial artist grew warped and distorted, replaced by an overgrown, spoiled child in the body of a fat, balding man. The images grew brighter, the sounds louder. He could almost feel each memory clawing at him like a pack of rats.

Genma wanted to scream, or turn and run, but the rapid-fire shocks were giving him no chance to collect his thoughts. Faces were beginning to swim towards him, each one a person he'd managed to scam, cheat or win over for his own benefit, each with the same angry scowl on their face. Over his shoulder, his wife's disapproving countenance seemed to grow larger.

"_Is this really who you are, Genma… you're no man at all… you're a bully and a coward…"_

He opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out. The memories began to swirl, replaying themselves over and over; screams of pain which he knew weren't his own echoed in the darkness around him. He fell to his knees in the dreamscape and began to curl into a ball.

For the first time in his life, Genma Saotome did something he had always derided as unmanly. He wept.

And the dream went on.

--------------------

"The Neko Hanten thanks you for your patronage," said Mousse as he slid the delivery box closed and bowed at the door of their latest order. The matronly woman smiled and bid him thanks as she gathered up her order and padded inside.

"That's the third take-out order so far, and we're only just into the lunch rush," he muttered as he slung the box under one arm. "I better get back before Shampoo blows a gasket and decides to take it out on me," he added with a chuckle.

The two of them had been a tad surprised when Cologne had announced she would be spending some time at the Saotome household that day, and even more so when she told them she was confident they could handle themselves just fine in her absence. The wink she had thrown in had been a little unnerving, making Mousse wonder if there wasn't something up her sleeve.

_Actually, it's been pretty good so far,_ Mousse thought. _I know Shampoo wasn't too happy about being holed up in the kitchen, but she looked like she was enjoying it._ He smirked, remembering the lecture she had given him earlier about taking care of her bike- something about 'Mousse get bent out of shape if he bend Shampoo's bike out of shape' with a glare or two thrown in. He'd almost believed she was angry with him until he noticed the playful sparkle in her eyes.

_Her eyes…_ He paused for a moment, looking up into the sky. _Whichever one of you was responsible for fixing mine, thank you. I never knew she had such beautiful eyes before._

He shook himself out of his reverie and strapped the empty delivery box onto the cargo rack of the bike. He straightened out his tunic and was just about to get on the bike, when all at once he got bowled over by something moving towards him very fast. "Oops! Sorry, mister!" came the voice of a young boy on roller skates who proceeded to continue down the sidewalk as if nothing had happened.

"Ow…" Mousse groaned and sat up abruptly; he turned around to catch sight of his attacker, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. "Geez, some children these days. Need to watch where they're going…" He paused, then snickered at the irony. "Barreling into other people like that… kid's just like me when I was that age." He straddled the bike, then shook his head and laughed. "Or a few weeks ago, for that matter." He absently brushed a hand over his ear, nearly straightening his glasses before he remembered they weren't there anymore. "Better get back before Shampoo kicks up a fuss," he murmured, kicking up the stand and heading down the sidewalk at a brisk pace.

Somehow, he failed to notice that a section of his white tunic had a series of fine- yet deep- cuts in it.

Nor did he notice the leering smile of the boy who had hit him, his eyes turning an unnatural shade of green.

--------------------

Shingen's head snapped up. _That doesn't feel right,_ he mused as he stopped the weapon kata he had been practicing in the backyard. _Something's definitely stirring. Feels like the chaos stream is starting to move a little quicker… but by what means?_

He glanced upward; it looked like a small number of rain clouds were forming in the distance. _Yeah, I can almost smell it. Something is very wrong… and it feels like it might be heading towards… Oh, this is not good._ He shifted the naginata in his hands and darted indoors. Once he reached his room, he quickly procured two slim bundles wrapped in cotton cloth and tucked them both under one arm.

"I have to go out for a moment Tendo-san, Kasumi-san," he hollered as he tugged on his hiking boots and sprinted out the front door.

_I only hope I get there in time._

--------------------

Akane shivered. _What was that? That felt really weird…_ She set her chopsticks down and rubbed her forearms briskly as a light breeze spun through the Furinkan grounds. It was lunchtime, and she and Ranma were sitting together under one of their favorite trees.

"Hey, you feelin' okay?" Ranma asked, setting his bento box down. "You're lookin' a little pale there, 'kane…" He trailed off as a similar chill washed over him. "Whoa, is it just me or did it just get a little cooler out here?"

"I don't think it's just you," Akane replied, picking up her lunch again. "Felt kind of chilly there for a moment." She paused, looking up at the sky; several clouds had begun to gather and held definite signs of things turning damp before the day was out. "Great. And I left my umbrella at home, too."

"You're not the only one," Ranma groaned. "I hate walking home in the rain."

"Well, at least you won't have to worry about walking home as a redhead this time," Akane replied. She paused, then gave him a sly smile. "Unless you want to, that is…" Ranma rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her, prompting her to laugh and respond in kind.

"Hi guys," said a familiar- yet slightly hesitant- voice. "Mind if I join ya for lunch?" The two of them glanced up in time to see Ukyo sitting down next to them. Ranma and Akane blinked; there was a distinct difference about her, not only in her hesitancy, but also in the manner of her attire. She was still dressed in the shirt and slacks combo favored by Furinkan's male students, but her hair was flowing freely, not pulled back as it normally was during school hours. Furthermore, her shirt appeared to be stretching outwards in a certain place- prompting Ranma to cough and look away as he and Akane realized she wasn't wearing her breast bindings.

"Hey Ukyo," said Akane, recovering from the mild surprise first. "Sure, I don't mind if you sit here; what about you, Ranma?" Ranma blinked and looked at her quizzically. _It's okay, Ranma, you don't have to freak out while she's here; she knows about us,_ Akane said in his mind's ear. _And she is your friend, too, so why not? I already know how you feel, it's not like I'll get the wrong idea…_

Ranma paused, then nodded. "Yeah, it's okay by me if you wanna join us," he said. Ukyo's face went from tentative to elated as she sat down, forming a sort of triangle with Akane and Ranma. Before long, one of her specials was cooking on her portable grill and the three of them had settled into a comfortable chat.

"I'm still kinda amazed that you went and challenged your old man, Ran-chan," said Ukyo as she took a bite. "But what I really didn't get is why you took so long to beat him; you could've done better than one minute any day of the week."

Ranma shrugged. "Yeah, I know… I was just driving the nail home," he said. "I didn't wanna humiliate him too badly, so I gave him some time to try and do _something_, just to see if he could actually do anything to me." He paused, then smirked. "Besides, Akane wanted a shot at winning Nabiki's pool for once."

Ukyo blinked. "So you gave him one last gasp at honor? Even with all that he…"

"No, I knew I could beat him. I just wanted to show him I wasn't playing around anymore, like I used to with our morning sparring."

"Oh… now I think I… hey, wait a minute!" Ukyo glanced at Akane. "A shot at winning the pool? Did you two set that time up in advance?"

"If you repeat that to Nabiki, I'll deny it," Akane giggled. Ukyo stared, then burst out laughing herself.

"Oh, that is rich…" she said at length. "Almost as good at watching that old fart get his butt handed to him."

"Yeah, he had that one coming," said Akane, turning serious again. "I only wish I could've gotten a few punches in myself; you have any idea how many times I heard him talk about how women are weak?"

"Usually when he was deriding me for my damn curse," Ranma growled.

"Well, all I can say is good for you, sugar," said Ukyo, giving Ranma a firm pat on the shoulder. "So… got any big plans for _your_ school now?"

Ranma paused, then sighed. "Right now I just wanna wait for things to settle down a bit," he said. "We still got a lotta garbage to deal with at the moment, Ucchan… but… I know one thing I gotta do is figure out a way to restore the school's honor." He looked at Akane for a moment, then turned back to Ukyo. "Mom an' me talked about it a little last night. And… well… we want to try and fix what Pop did to you and your dad."

Ukyo shook her head. "Ran-chan, what's done is done. I know ya didn't know about that _stupid_ agreement, and I already told you both that I'm over it. I appreciate the thought, but you don't have to try an' fall over yourself to pay me back. I can deal with my old man myself. " She smiled weakly before turning to Akane. "I know it took me forever to figure it out, and I know I did a lot of stupid things to try an' fight it, but… I guess I always knew you two were meant to be." She reached over and took Akane's hand. "You better take good care of him, Akane."

Akane blushed, then nodded slowly. "Well, I'll do my best," she said. "I'm sure as hell not going to let go of him now, that's for sure," she added before promptly slamming her mouth shut. _Uh oh… I hope she doesn't take that the wrong way! She was so dead-set on being his up until…_

"I figured you'd say something like that," Ukyo replied before sitting back and taking another bite of her lunch. "Heck, after everything that happened recently, I'd have been surprised if you _hadn't._"

Akane blinked. "You… you're not upset? I wasn't trying to…"

"Akane, it's not a big deal. I already told ya both, I want to start over. No more rivalries. Fact is, sugar… I'm _happy_ for you. I saw you both when you were fightin' that weird chick that popped out of Shampoo the other day… and I don't think I'd ever seen Ranma here smile as much as when you two were fighting together." She brushed back her long hair, one hand tapping against the handle of a back-up battle spatula she'd dragged out of the closet. "As long as he's happy, that's all that matters. Kami knows his old man didn't let him have much happiness."

Ranma shook his head. "Ucchan… I didn't think I'd be hearing that from you any time soon."

Ukyo shrugged. "Call it a case of me getting a clue," she said. _Or a little more than that… maybe I should tell them now. Or should I wait till Akane's alone and just ask her about… ah, hell with it._ She paused, then smirked a little too broadly. "So… have you two gotten around to setting a wedding date yet?"

Akane almost choked on a mouthful of rice. _What the? She only called off her engagement to you a few days ago, Ranma; I wasn't expecting her to be this casual about it!_

_I know, 'kane, this is startin' to weird me out a bit._ "Uh… Ukyo, no offense, but you seem to be takin' everything that's gone down pretty easily. Are you feelin' okay?"

"Of course I am, Ran-chan, what kind of question is that?" She shifted slightly, folding her arms across her lap. "I just wanted to know if you guys were planning the big event, that's all."

"Ukyo, it just sounded a little weird the way you said it," said Akane awkwardly. "And… well, about your clothes…"

"What about them?" she replied in a similar tone of voice. "I was… well… I dunno, I just didn't feel like… well… doing the whole 'pretend I'm a guy' thing anymore today." She pressed her index fingers together nervously.

Ranma's brow furrowed. _Acchan, I dunno if I'm reading her right, but she's getting worked up over something. I haven't seen her like this in a while…_

Akane nodded. _Me neither. Do you think she's still holding a grudge? I know she said she wasn't, but…_

_Yeah, I thought of that, but I'm not picking that up from her. Her ki doesn't feel angry, and believe me, I know angry._ The two of them had to stifle a quick laugh. _This is more like… I dunno, like she's hiding something… or that she's embarrassed?_

Ukyo, for her part, was starting to get nervous. _Oh gods… they know something. I can tell, they're giving me that 'concern' look again, and they're bein' WAY too quiet. Geez, they probably think I'm still pining over Ran-chan; dammit, I thought I wasn't going to make it look like something it wasn't!_ She fidgeted in place. _Maybe this was a bad idea after all… good way to make some light conversation, Ukyo, now you've made 'em both suspicious!_

_Maybe I should have just talked to Akane alone- but it's not my fault I couldn't find her till now!_ She swallowed hard. _I gotta tell them something. But… how can I talk about something like this? Especially in front of Ran-chan… I mean… Kami's sake, I spent months acting like HE was my one and only… how can I tell him that… that…_

A sudden rumble echoed from beyond the school wall, breaking everyone out of their reverie. Nearby, other students began to look up in surprise as the rumbling grew louder. Akane gasped as another trail of ice shot up her spine; Ranma flinched as an identical feeling tore through his gut. Ukyo stared at both of them, then gasped as she felt a tremor run through the earth beneath her. "Uh… guys, this doesn't feel so hot…"

"You're telling me," Ranma replied through gritted teeth as he scrambled to his feet. "I really don't like the vibe I'm gettin' right now."

"Me neither," said Akane, standing up as well. "There's definitely some bad ki in the air." A low growling noise began to echo through the air; several dozen Furinkan students began to get up and run off in random directions, leaving papers, books and bento boxes behind. It was about that time the rhythmic rumbling began to get louder- and a sudden angry voice pierced the air.

"DAMMIT, GET OUT OF OUR FACES AND LEAVE US ALONE, YOU FREAKS!"

Ranma gaped and spun around to stare at Akane, who was staring at him with equally wide eyes. "That wasn't… was that Ryoga?"

"Sure sounded like him; I've heard enough of him screaming at you to last a lifetime."

It was at that moment that part of the school wall exploded and all hell broke loose.

--------------------

Students began screaming and running for cover as a familiar mammoth pig barreled into the school grounds, a girl in a sweater and tartan skirt on his back holding on for dear life as no less than fourteen massive freaks of nature pushed and prodded Katsunishiki from either side. Each one resembled a giant hairless tiger with a squashed, nonexistent nose and no tail, three-toed forepaws at the ends of muscular legs, and a mouth full of slavering fangs. The girl atop the pig cringed as several of the nightmare beasts tried to claw and snap at her, but they in turn were beaten back by the umbrella-wielding young man in a beige long-sleeved shirt standing protectively over her. The pig, in turn, was angrily shoving two of the more aggressive animals out of the way with his snout and forelegs.

"Think you can just pop outta nowhere and try to make lunch out of us?" Ryoga growled, smashing another attacker across the face with his umbrella and breaking several teeth. "Well, think again! I'm not letting you take away my last chance at happiness!" Quickly he slung the umbrella over his back and procured two fistfuls of bandannas, which he started spinning rapidly. "PREPARE TO DIE!" A quick hop and he was airborne; a second later, the air exploded with bandanna shrapnel embedding itself in the black beasts' flesh.

"What the hell is he fighting?" Ukyo stammered as she yanked her back-up spatula off her back. "Looks like a whole pack of those dog-things from _Ghostbusters_ out there!"

"You might not be too far off, Ukyo," Akane replied, cracking her knuckles. _Those things feel worse than they look, Ranma. And I'll bet you anything they're what gave me that funny feeling._

Ranma gave her a nod and started to run. _I think you're right, 'kane. Dunno what the hell those things are, but they sure as hell feel demonic to me. An' I'm not about to let ol' bacon breath handle those things solo!_ Akane nodded to him in return, having already begun to run when he had. Ukyo stared at the two of them for a moment, then gritted her teeth and plunged into the fray as well.

"AKARI! Tell Katsunishiki to get outta here and keep you safe! I can handle these bastards myself!" Ryoga shouted, swinging his umbrella in a wide arc; he clipped several of the monsters before winding up and bringing his weapon down on another's head with a sickening crunch. Akari tried to protest, but the growls and snaps of the beasts froze her vocal cords. Katsunishiki, for his part, reared up on his hind legs and charged out of the pack like a raging bull, stunning two more of the dogs in the process; his hide bore a series of cuts and shallow gouges from his attackers, but the sumo pig seemed none the worse for wear.

"Let's see how you like it when your opponent bites back," Ryoga sneered as he flipped over one beast and grabbed it around the ribcage. He twisted in midair, continuing his rotation and pulling the black dog with him, up off the ground until its fiendish face impacted with the ground. Ryoga gave his quarry a quick twist and broke its spine before dropping down to face several more sets of red eyes. "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" he bellowed, jamming his fingers into the dirt and blowing a fusillade of jagged rocks into the faces of his nearest opponents. They staggered back a few paces, snorted, then recovered and plunged right back into the fight.

"Hey, you might try saving some of this for us, ol' buddy!" Ryoga froze for an instant, recovered in time to deflect two claw attacks and a bite and jumped back into the air, executing a piledriver attack via umbrella upon his descent.

"Ranma?" he shouted incredulously. "What're you doing here?"

"This IS my school," Ranma hollered back as he roundhouse-kicked three canines in the canines, leaving several mouths full of broken teeth. "Question is, what're YOU doing here and where'd you pick up these freaks?" Another hound tried to swipe at him with both paws, but Ranma ducked in and slammed a Jinrai Tekken strike into the hound's abdomen; a thunderous report echoed as the beast exploded in white light.

"I was TRYING to find a shop so that Akari and I could… HEY! That's none of your business, Ranma!" Ryoga fired back as he dueled with two more beasts, gaining a fair amount of nicks and shallow cuts in the process. "And I didn't 'pick up' these freaks, they just popped outta nowhere and started whaling on us!"

"For no reason?" the pig-tailed teen fired back as he drove his foot into the side of another freak. His eyes narrowed; he could see the ones whose teeth he had just broken, and he didn't like the fact that their wounds were mending rapidly. "You sure you didn't do something to tick them off?"

"HELL NO!" Ryoga spat, grabbing another hound by the foreleg and hurling him into several others. "I don't just wander into people or things I don't know and piss them off, unlike some people I know!"

"Ryoga, I'll ask you to take that back later," Akane shouted as she darted into the mass of black animals, "but right now, could you just SHUT UP and concentrate on these… these… whatever these things are!" A quick flick of the wrist and Akane was holding a bokken, which she promptly used to cave in the skull of the nearest canine fiend. More came charging at her, but she leaped up and executed a split kick, knocking two beasts away at once before dropping to the ground and blazing between the creatures with blinding speed.

Ryoga wanted to ask Akane what she meant, or where she'd suddenly gotten so fast, but his attention was quickly diverted to the black hounds bearing down on all sides. His razor bandannas flew in all directions again, but seemed to do little damage; growling angrily, he wheeled around on one heel in time to see another demon rear up and try to claw him with both forelimbs. With a mighty roar, he ducked in under the attack, grabbed the hound and locked in a bear hug that squeezed it so hard, there was a series of loud pops and cracks as its rib cage imploded and the beast disintegrated into white powder. Ranma, for his part, had become a whirling dervish, busting open the heads of two more hounds with two rapid-fire Jinrai Tekken strikes in a row before double-teaming a third with Akane.

_Ready to try out that technique, Acchan?_ he thought with a grin.

_Always ready!_ was her affirmative answer. _I just hope it works…_ she added silently to herself before pulling her hands back and pumping her ki into her arms. "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"

Ryoga stared, his brain freezing up as he suddenly heard both Akane and Ranma cry out the attack's name. Time stood still for a moment as he saw her hands burst into a frenzy- not entirely accurate, but still pummeling the flesh of her latest opponent with nearly the same speed and power that Ranma's own Amaguriken was dealing to the opposite side of the same beast. In seconds, the creature was pulverized and exploded in a shower of white light between them.

"What the… how did… when did Akane learn to do THAT?" he stammered. Suddenly he became aware of a prickly sensation on the back of his neck. He turned around just in time to see another black hound leap at him…

And promptly fly backwards after being batted away by Ukyo's battle spatula. "Hey, you can act surprised after the fight, sugar," she snapped, whipping around and flinging a handful of throwing spatulas into the face of another canine. "Less staring, more fighting! Got it?" Ryoga shook himself out of his amazement, nodded, and ducked back into the fight- which suddenly grew more intense as five more canines bounded over the hole in the school wall to join the rest of the pack. Ranma began to kick into overdrive, but still barely managed to keep up. Not only were the canines strong, they were _fast_.

Most of the schoolyard was clear by now; students were shouting for Miss Hinako, then groaning in desperation as they remembered she was at a seminar in Tokyo proper on rehabilitation of delinquent behavior that day. Akari, for her part, huddled underneath a tree not far from the chaos, biting her lip as she peered around Katsunishiki. _Oh, please be alright, Ryoga… don't get hurt…_

A sudden voice pierced the minds of Akane and Ranma, almost slowing their paces. _Both of you! Beating a Hell Hound to death barehanded takes far too long; you'll need these!_

The two of them glanced up in time to see Shingen catapulting himself over the school wall at breakneck speed. He flipped once in midair, then thrust his arms outward, flinging two objects in Akane and Ranma's direction. The two sprang out of the pack long enough to grab what they instantly recognized as the wakizashi they had carried the previous day. Shingen continued to fall forward, planting his feet on the ground with a heavy thud and pulling into a crouch.

"I had a gut feeling there was something going down here," he snarled, swinging his naginata off of his back. "And now I find it's a pack of goddamned Hell Hounds, no less." He flipped the polearm into a ready position and glared at the suddenly startled pack of canines. "Let's take 'em out! Hard and fast!"

A second later, Ranma had unsheathed the Sagara blade and whipped it into a loose stance. Akane did likewise, albeit a tad slower; she was still unaccustomed to using a real blade in battle and her nervousness showed for a moment. But only for a moment.

The next second, all hell had broken loose again, and this time it was the hounds who had to give ground. Shingen sprang forward and speared the nearest beast in the forehead, then ripped the blade out and swung in a wide arc, gashing as many of the hounds as he could. Ranma once again became a human buzzsaw, cutting through several of his opponents at a speed even Kuno might have respected. Akane followed suit, warily at first, then faster and more confidently, alternating swings of her own blade with a series of hard punches that jarred the hounds' senses long enough for her to move in for the kill. Ryoga balked for a second before launching himself back in, umbrella at the ready, while Ukyo skirted the perimeter and continued to strike at the outermost hounds with the cutting edge of her spatula- stealing a furtive glance in Shingen's direction every once in a while.

It wasn't long before the hounds began to back down and seek out an avenue of escape- but were unable to find one. Shingen's eyes hardened and he began smashing his double-edged blade into the remaining dogs with a ferocity the others had not seen. One he speared through the side, another he turned into an impromptu shish kabob by thrusting the naginata down its throat; as for the final hound, it had its head yanked back by the ears and was dispatched by a Jinrai Tekken punch so powerful it sounded like a cannon had fired in the schoolyard.

A moment passed.

Shingen slumped to his knees, breathing out a relieved sigh. Ranma slid the Sagara blade back into its sheath, and Akane did the same with the Saito blade. Ukyo shook her head and leaned against the handle of her spatula, murmuring, "Another fun day at Furinkan High…"

"Not exactly the P.E. workout I was expecting," Akane groaned, fingering two sections on her blouse and skirt that had gotten clawed by the hounds.

"Me neither," Ranma replied. "That was totally out of left field." He looked up and gave Akane a grin. _Still… weird as that was, you gotta admit, that was kind of fun._

Akane looked up and returned the grin with one of her own, albeit more subdued. _I suppose it was a bit, even if those things did freak me out at first._ She looked down and sighed. _Guess I should be glad it was only my dress that got clawed._

Ryoga blinked a few times and scratched his head. "Uh… what the hell just happened?"

--------------------

Mousse flipped the kickstand down and stepped into the Neko Hanten slowly. He took a deep breath and winced, putting his hand to his side. "I'm back from the delivery," he said in a weary voice. A wave of nausea was beginning to build up in the pit of his stomach. _What's going on? I felt fine just a short while ago,_ he thought as a spot on his side began to throb. _Don't tell me I'm getting sick. I can't be sick, I've been in top shape all day today and yesterday, too…_ He took another breath and slowly walked into the kitchen.

"Mousse, what take you so long?" Shampoo asked in an annoyed tone. "Lunch rush all over now; you take so long getting back, Shampoo had to serve and cook at same time! Great-grandmother still not back yet, why you take too, too long to get back from last delivery?" She spun around to face him, hands on hips, and it wasn't hard to see the irritation etched into her brow.

"I… I'm sorry, Shampoo… I guess I lost track of the time on that l-last delivery…"

Shampoo blinked, the irritation leaving her face. Mousse had turned pale and his eyes seemed slightly dull; she noticed his hand on his right side and the remainder of her anger evaporated.

"Mousse… what is matter? You not look very good; you getting sick?"

"I'll be okay, Shampoo," he replied with a wince. "I think I just… it was p-probably just something I ate, that's all." He leaned against the kitchen door for a moment, then stepped out into the dining area. "I'm sorry I made you wait; here, I'll clean up the dishes," he added as he wobbled out to one of the tables.

Shampoo bit her lip. "Mousse… come back here, stupid Mousse!" she said, exiting the kitchen herself. "You not very good liar; you in no shape to clean tables! You no can stand straight, even!" She walked briskly over to him and grabbed his hand. "Why you no say something if you sick? Come, you going to lie down and…"

A sudden gasp stopped her in mid-sentence. Mousse pulled away from her, doubling over in the middle of the vacant dining room. A stifled cry of pain escaped his throat as the throb in his side seemed to intensify. He clenched his teeth and pressed his hand against his stomach, but that only seemed to make it worse.

"Mousse… what wrong with you? What is happening?"

He could barely hear her words; there was a ringing in his ears that threatened to deafen him. The throb grew stronger, and his eyes widened as a sudden warm dampness oozed over his fingers. He took in a gulp of air and pulled his hand away from his side, bringing it up to his face. It was covered in blood.

"What the… how did this… _what's happening to me?_" he gasped.

_You have served your purpose. You have hidden me well… and now I take my leave of you._

The words echoed back and forth in his mind, coupled with a deep, hideous laugh that widened his eyes in fear. The cord holding the hematite warding pendant around his neck snapped, letting it clatter to the floor. His breathing grew rapid as he pressed his hand back against his side, trying to stop the flow of blood as he dropped to his knees. He began to shake his head from side to side as the throbbing grew stronger, more painful. It felt like the wound in his side was growing hotter… he could almost see a purplish-white light at the edge of his field of vision. Glancing down, Mousse stared as the same light seemed to seep through his fingers, through the narrow cuts on his abdomen. The light began to grow brighter still, the pain sharper and hotter…

His head whipped backwards and he cried out as pain exploded from his stomach. The light blazed up and seemed to fill the room as a dull whine rattled the tables and chairs. For a brief instant, his pupils fixated on a figure looming up in front of him… a dark figure with an ibis-like head and broad, black wings… and in the next instant the figure turned and sprang away from him as lightning shot through his gut and he fell back.

In his haze of agony, he could just make out another sound. The sound of Shampoo screaming.

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 10/20/05: Well, another long chapter completed. And another evil cliffhanger… heh heh. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to put in here; hopefully it stands up to the quality of my previous chapters. I can't thank you all enough for your support in this project of mine. And now, a few words.

I will admit, Ryoga hasn't made that many appearances to date, comparatively speaking anyway. But the truth is, there was a lot of R/A stuff I had to deal with first- after all, they _are_ the stars of the show. The Lost Boy will be making a few more appearances, rest assured.

In regards to Cologne's assisting Nodoka, I always felt that if those two could set aside the whole Ranma fiancée dilemma, they'd probably see eye to eye on a few things. Both put a lot of stock in honor, especially the way of the warrior. Remember, up until Nodoka learned about the curses she would often say that she was a 'warrior's wife'. So, given the events of late, it doesn't seem that unreasonable that Nodoka would request some assistance in disciplining her fat slob of a husband. And we all know Cologne isn't too fond of Genma, either…

The Sleep of a Thousand Memories is really another version of the Ebenezer Scrooge treatment- make someone see all the rotten things he did in the past, remove his personal reality filter and make him see the true him. A bit harsh, to be sure, but his sense of reality was so skewed and self-centered it had to be done. I believe the Scottish poet Robert Burns once said, "Would that God had the gift to gie us, to see ourselves as others see us"; I hope I am not misquoting him. In essence, it was the one thing that I felt Genma really needed to see, hopefully something that might put him on the path of redemption. Though whether he will listen to his dream is yet to be seen…

Priestess Kohana: Glad you liked it; I'm looking forward to your next installments.

Dragon Man 180: I did think about having Ranma fight Genma in his girl form, to be honest, but as I was writing the duel it became less important. Yes, Genma is an idiot- a desperate idiot at that. As for the Kiima incident at Jusendo, see my previous notes on the empty pools. Akane provided a template for a portal, nothing more.

Martrex: I'm not quite done with the Kunos yet, though if Tatewaki keeps it up like he has been he's liable to get that bokken of his shoved up his butt sideways. Glad you liked.

Borg rabbit: I appreciate the compliment; nice to know I'm doing something right. Hope you liked this bit.

Majinbuu7985: Ranma only dragged the fight out to teach Genma a lesson. Happi will be back in the picture before long, too. As for the final seal… well, stay tuned.

Taro MD: Hope you enjoyed the latest issue of Panda Punishment. Re: the final seal, see above.

LoneWolf3CC, LunaRoseAF, Wonderbee31, JohnnyG, ranmafanatic04, PaladinJag, Silver Warrior, neo82: Thank you very much for your support.

Tsuki-chan: I try to update when I can, but I've been experiencing many delays the further I get in this chronicle. Sometimes it's writer's block, other times it's just Life. Thanks for your compliments; I can only hope my writing style didn't suffer in the latter part of the chapter, I was in a slight rush to get it finished. Thank you for your support.

And to everybody, another big thank you. Wow. 300-plus reviews on that's a personal best. I never expected to garner this much attention. Please, keep those reviews coming; it's what I live for. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	30. Blood on the Battlefield

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. You know the drill by now. With that out of the way, we resume where we were last time in…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 30: Blood on the Battlefield

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"You mind explaining just what in the name of stir-fried rice is going on here, or am I gonna have to guess my way through it?" Ryoga drawled in an irked tone. "First the two of us get blindsided by those _things_, they herd us all the way to Furinkan and then all hell breaks loose… WHAT was that all about?"

"Gee, good to see you too, Ryoga," Ranma replied with a roll of his eyes. "You're askin' the wrong guy, we were just having lunch when you guys busted on to the scene with the Doomsday Pack on your heels. And before you say it, no, it wasn't my fault."

"That's NOT what I was going to say!" Ryoga shot back through gritted teeth.

"Sure it wasn't, bacon brains."

"Would you STOP calling me that?"

"Oh lighten up a little, man, I'm just yankin' your chain a bit!"

"Something tells me those two are never gonna change," Ukyo muttered, heaving a sigh and stretching her arms behind her head. "Five minutes out of the fight and they're at it again." Akane didn't say anything in response, but shrugged and snickered as the two went back and forth at each other.

They were walking through downtown Nerima, being trailed closely by Akari's faithful porcine steed- who was drawing a considerable amount of attention by himself. Akari walked just a little ahead of him, bringing up the rear of the group just behind Ryoga and the others. Ordinarily several of them would've been back in class back at Furinkan, but the chaos that had only recently engulfed the school grounds had shocked the faculty sufficiently to warrant sending the students home early. The carnage wrought by the wild dog-demons had not only busted the wall but had also ripped a gash in an underground gas line, requiring extensive repairs; that aside, a number of students had been rattled so badly that the teachers had felt it best not to add to the stress by resuming classes. It may not have been the first time something abnormal had happened at Furinkan, but this was perhaps one of the most terrifying of the lot.

"Not exactly the day back to school I had in mind," Akane sighed. "Though I have to admit, it felt good to not be on the sidelines for once."

"Boy, tell me about it," Ukyo replied. "I dunno what Shin-kun and Ran-chan did to hone you, Akane, but damned if you weren't sharp out there."

"Thanks, Ukyo… I think," Akane said with a smirk, then quirked an eyebrow. _Shin-kun? Sounds a tad familiar way to address him only a few days after she met him…_ She blinked, her eyes darting between Ukyo on her right and Shingen just in front. To her left, Ranma and Ryoga were still bear-baiting each other.

"Look, all I'm saying is I wanna know where those things came from and why they started shredding things outta the blue!" Ryoga groaned. "And another thing… since when do you stand aside and let your own fiancée jump into something like that? Didn't you care if she got hurt?"

"In case you weren't paying attention, dumbass, I had one eye on her at all times; besides, we've been doing a little training over the weekend an' we needed a good workout. Think I'd deny her a chance to test her ability a bit?" Ranma shot back with a smug look.

Ryoga stared blankly at him for a moment. "Training? Over the weekend?" He paused, and then his eyes widened as he suddenly recalled something he'd only barely glimpsed during the fight- a vision of Akane and Ranma in perfect synchronicity, blades in hand, cutting through the black beasts with a form and precision he'd never seen in them before. The sudden recollection of Akane's newfound grace didn't stun him quite so much as something else, though. _Think I'd deny her a chance to test her ability… did he really say that? Ranma? Mr. Macho who always insulted her ability before? HIM?_

A second later, Ryoga recovered and snapped an arm around Ranma's neck, locking him in place as he ground the knuckles of his other hand into the pig-tailed one's head. "Okay, who are you and what'd you do with Ranma?" he growled… or tried to, throwing in an involuntary laugh.

"Hey, take it easy, man!" Ranma snapped, twisting around in an attempt to escape Ryoga's 'secret' noogie attack. "Geez, what's your problem… dammit, lemme go, you musclebound moron!" His own serious composure didn't last long, though, and he started to laugh as well.

"Honey, could you tone it down a little bit?" Akari piped up. "I know you probably want to catch up with him, but it'll be easier if you don't have him in a headlock." Ryoga paused, turning towards her slightly. She gave him a disarming smile, and a moment later he heaved a resigned sigh and released Ranma from his grip.

"Thanks, Akari," said Akane. "You saved me having to break his hold my way," she added, throwing a meaningful glance in Ryoga's direction. Ryoga gulped.

"Well, like I was _trying_ to say," said Ranma as he straightened his neck out, "was that as far as those things went, I got no idea. I never even saw anything like a Hell Hound till today… well, 'xepting maybe some dreams I'd rather not remember…"

"Hell Hound?" said Ryoga, blinking once. "Is _that_ what that thing was called?" He shook his head, trying to get the image of two red eyes and a fang-filled mouth, reeking of dark energies, out of his mind.

"Godforsaken animals, the whole lot of them," Shingen snapped in a voice filled with ice, not bothering to turn around.

A moment of silence passed, during which time all eyes promptly fixed on the back of his head. Ranma blinked once, then turned to look at Akane; she was looking back at him with an identical expression of concern. Both of them had been aware that he hadn't said anything since the fight had terminated, and neither of them had missed the rage in his eyes as he had punched the last hound into oblivion. The others just looked at him in bewilderment, though Ukyo's eyes held a shred of concern as well.

Ranma cleared his throat. "Um… Shin? You okay, man?"

A long sigh was his reply before Shingen stopped walking and turned to face them. "Sorry," he said in a dull tone. "I had a bad run-in with those things a long time ago… about the only subspecies of demonkind that can make me lose my cool." His right hand idly traced a pattern up his shirt- tracing, both Ranma and Akane realized, the triple scar across his chest. "Those things thrive on carnage; they're drawn to conflict and battle like moths to a flame. Torn through more than their fair share of wars as well, feeding off the dead and dying, or anything else they could do to spread chaos… up to and including acting as Hunter killers," he finished, his words laced with venom.

Ranma's eyes narrowed. "Hunter killers?"

"Sometimes, when the opportunity presents itself," Shingen replied. "I doubt they ever set out for that purpose, but Kami knows I've seen at least two cut down because they underestimated their ferocity. For the most part, Hell Hounds don't appear to have any other purpose than inflicting pain on whatever happens to be in their way."

Ukyo paled. "So… why pop up right in the middle of Furinkan? Why a friggin' schoolyard of all places?"

"He did say they were drawn to battles," Akane murmured. "And you've got to admit, we've had more than enough crazy fights at the schoolyard to qualify it as a battlefield." She paused, then glanced at Ryoga again. "Sometimes for entirely the wrong reasons."

_Geez, I said I was sorry,_ Ryoga thought silently as he flinched at the look she was giving him. _How much longer am I gonna have to apologize before we're friends again?_ He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground for a moment before something clicked in his head. _Wait a minute… how did Ranma know those things were called…_ "There's something fishy going on here."

"Okay, Ryoga, what'd we leave out this time?" Ranma replied in a bored tone.

"Ranma, you said you never saw these things before today, right?" At his nod, Ryoga continued. "And this guy never corrected you on calling it a Hell Hound, so that might be its legit 'name'…"

"It _is_ its name, Hibiki, what are you getting at?" Shingen groaned.

"Well, if you never saw these before, Ranma, how'd you know what it was called?"

"That's easy, pork butt; Shingen told me an' Akane what ta call 'em."

"He did?" Ryoga glanced at Shingen, who nodded, then back to Ranma. "Wait, I didn't see you two talking to him that much after that fight was over… what's going on here?" He paused, then blinked at something Ranma had slung over his shoulder. "And another thing… since when did you two start using _swords_ in combat? I thought you preferred being weaponless! And where'd you get those, anyhow?"

"Huh? Oh… about that, that's, uh… that's kind of a long story…" said Ranma, fidgetting slightly. _Geez, I was kinda hoping we'd be able to keep this under wraps for a while; he's gonna flip if we tell him about the bloodline thing…_

_You're telling me,_ Akane mentally replied. _Better stall him till we're someplace we can sit down and relax first._ "Yeah, um… it's kind of complicated, why don't we help you and Akari finish your errand first and then we can talk about it."

"Wha… oh damn, I almost forgot about that!" Ryoga spun around to face Akari. "Have you still got that paper with the address on it, dear? Maybe they can help us find that store."

Ranma blinked, then started to snicker. _He called her dear? And here he used to get nosebleeds if a girl even smiled at him!_ His snicker promptly halted when Akane bopped him lightly on the back of the head.

"Sure, that won't be too much of a problem," Akane said before giving Ranma a mildly annoyed look. _You don't have to laugh at him; I thought what he said was kind of sweet!_

_Sorry, 'kane, I'm just not used to hearin' that stuff from him,_ Ranma replied with a shrug. Akane just rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Well, if we're ever gonna get around to doing _anything_," Ukyo groaned, "then we might as well make the most of this afternoon and get moving, everybody."

"Yeah, you're right; gimme that address and let's go find…"

Ranma suddenly stopped in mid-sentence as another chill washed over his body. It didn't feel like an icicle down his spine this time, it was more like a sudden fog appearing in the midst of nowhere, buffeting over him in thicker and thicker sheets. His eyes went wide and his head jerked in Akane's direction; he could see a similar reaction plastered on her face as she returned his gaze with worried eyes. Ryoga and Akari looked at the two of them confusedly, as did Ukyo. Shingen's back was to them and his eyes on the street ahead, and they could see he was standing stock-still.

"Ranma…" Akane began in a small voice. Ryoga blinked and glanced back at Akari, whose face now bore a look of concern.

"Yeah, I know," Ranma replied, iron seeping into his voice. "Hey, Shin…"

"I felt it too," said the taller man, flipping his naginata off his shoulder.

"Felt what?" Ukyo asked. "What's the big deal now?"

Shingen stared down the street, eyes scanning over each storefront individually. "There's something very wrong happening, and it feels like it's getting stronger," he said in a clipped tone. "It's some sort of energy buildup… definitely occult. It feels like…" He paused, eyes narrowing. "It's not the same as a Purge, not quite a Summoning from what I can feel… more like something trying to…" His gaze locked on a particular storefront and his eyes widened in shock. "Oh, KUSO!"

"What?" Ryoga jumped at the sudden outburst. "Would someone just explain to me what…"

"It's coming from the Neko Hanten," Shingen snapped as he started to run. "Getting even stronger; dear gods, I just hope I'm wrong…" Akane and Ranma suddenly gasped as an inkling of Shingen's assessment entered their minds, and both began to run as well. Ukyo blinked and followed suit with Ryoga, Akari and a huge pig hot on her heels.

"Ran-chan, what's all this about?" Ukyo hollered.

"I'm still waiting on that explanation, Ranma!" added Ryoga.

"No time for that right now, guys!" Ranma shot back. "I got a feeling that we're gonna have some more trouble on our hands in a moment!"

At that moment, while all of them were a mere two blocks away from the Neko Hanten, trouble took that moment to rear its head. A sudden scream of agony was quickly followed by an explosion of white light tinged with violet that shook the windows all along the street and blew the front doors off the aforementioned Chinese restaurant. Everyone, including Katsunishiki, screeched to a halt and slammed their hands over their ears as the explosion's high-pitched whine rattled their ears and cracked several neighboring windows. Seconds later, eyes cracked open- and then snapped fully open at the sight of a dark figure emerging from the wave of light.

The light congealed, softening as the figure planted its feet on the ground- a pair of clawed feet adorned with old-style wooden clogs. The owner of the clogs stood some seven feet in height, clad in what appeared to be a blue hakama and a white gi top with the sleeves torn off. The figure's arms were tinged a bluish-black shade and powerfully muscled, each arm wrapped elbow to wrist in lengths of silvery chain; one hand appeared to be clenched around a scintillating blob of blue light. At its shoulders were set a pair of massive black-feathered wings, and its head was that of a long-beaked ebony bird with piercing crimson eyes. Akari gasped. Ryoga and Ukyo did likewise.

Shingen stared at the beast in a state of minor shock. "Great Kami…" he breathed before snapping to attention and jamming his left hand into his jacket, retrieving a fistful of throwing knives and a paper ward.

The bird-headed giant unleashed a deep, throaty laugh and launched itself into the sky with unexpected speed and grace; in two seconds it had disappeared behind a cloud well beyond the reach of Shingen's darts. A brief flicker of movement through the cloud cover, and it was gone.

"Gods, what the hell was that?" Ukyo asked frantically. "And what was it doing bustin' out of the Neko Hanten like that?"

"Was that… was that a Tengu?" Akane stammered in a rushed tone, trying to remember some of the minimal demon lore they had gone over at the warehouse. Another scream erupted from the restaurant, breaking everyone's eyes away from the clouds.

"Help!" came a distinctly female voice laced with an unprecedented tone of panic and worry. "ANYONE! PLEASE HELP!"

"Worry about what it was later!" Shingen snapped, bolting for the remains of the restaurant's front door with Ranma and Akane close behind him. _That was more… that was a Greater Tengu, of all things… how the hell could I have missed something like that before_, he thought grimly as he barreled inside.

--------------------

Cologne's head jerked upright. A slight gasp escaped her throat and she fumbled slightly with her cup of tea. "Oh, my…"

"Hm?" Nodoka blinked and set her own cup down. "Is something wrong, Elder?"

"I felt something," the elder Amazon replied in low tones. "I'm not quite sure what it is, but for a moment… something didn't feel right. Didn't feel right at all." She stroked her chin, focusing her aura for a brief moment before her eyes narrowed. "I fear something is happening back at the Neko Hanten. Somebody is in great pain."

"You can feel that from here?"

"Indeed, my dear; I know that place well enough to know when something is amiss, especially something like this." She grabbed her cane and stood up. "I'm afraid I may have to cut our afternoon chat short."

"Oh dear," Nodoka murmured in a worried tone. "You don't suppose it could be another curse incident, could it?"

"It may very well be," Cologne replied with a deathly serious look. "I only pray it will not come to blows before I can get there." She gave Nodoka a quick nod before turning and pogo-sticking her way across the rooftops of the neighborhood. Nodoka bit her lip and watched her diminutive guest depart before getting up to check on the progress of her husband's slumber.

_My word, that is troubling,_ she thought as the walked down the hall to the bedroom door. _Just one thing after another these days, it seems. Curses, demons, lies, heaven knows what kind of power emerging in my son and daughter-in… well, future daughter-in-law…_ She sighed and sat down by the door, listening to Genma moaning in his sleep. _And now more trouble rearing its head… I guess, assuming she's right about there being trouble._

Nodoka let her head tilt back to rest against the wall just as Genma's mumbles took on a pleading tone. She could hear him begging for something… peace, solitude, occasionally forgiveness. It sounded like he was tossing and turning on the futon and his voice was cracking at times. She closed her eyes and exhaled a long breath as she heard him crying out her name… and then Ranma's.

"I'm sorry, Genma," she whispered. "But we have to let it take its course. I only hope you understand now what you apparently couldn't before." She reached up and wiped her eyes. _And I hope whatever was bothering the Elder turns out to be easily rectified. I didn't much like that look in her eyes…_

--------------------

Akane and Ukyo both gasped and Akari screamed at the sight inside the restaurant. Tables and chairs had been blown across the floor, creating a path from the doorway to a spot in the middle of the dining room where Mousse was lying on his back in a crumpled heap. His face and arms had gone slack, eyes shut tight and his abdomen appeared to be covered in blood. Shampoo was kneeling shakily next to him with an uncharacteristically frightened look in her eyes; she had grabbed a handful of cloth napkins and was frantically pressing them against a spot on his stomach where his tunic appeared to have been torn away. Blood was spreading slowly through the napkins as Shampoo glanced up.

"Oh my GOD!" Ukyo nearly shouted. "What happened in here?"

"Hell's bells, looks like somethin' tried to tear him inside out!" Ranma said in a clipped tone as he scrambled over to Mousse's side and batted Shampoo's hands away. Lifting the cloth, he winced as he and the others caught sight of the deep gash in his right side.

"It… it awful!" Shampoo was rambling. "Mousse come in, look like in pain, then all at once he fall over and start groaning and then… and then Shampoo see he bleeding, then he cry out, then restaurant fill with light and… and… giant bird-thing appear from… please, help! Shampoo no expect this, no know what to do, why this happen to Mousse all at once, why… why…"

"Shampoo, calm down," said Akane. "Get a hold of yourself, you can't help him if you're in a panic!" She spun around and knelt by Ranma's side. "How bad is it?"

"He's got a hole in his gut big enough to fit a jumbo rice ball," Ranma replied grimly as he continued to apply pressure to the wound. "Dammit, what the hell's going on here?"

"That's what I want to know!" Ryoga shouted, a tad nervously. "What is this, a full-on all-day freak fest or something?"

"Ryoga, either shut up or make yourself useful," Akane said through gritted teeth. "There's a phone on the counter; call Dr. Tofu or an ambulance and tell them we've got an emergency here!"

"I don't believe this," said Shingen as he scoured Mousse's aura from head to toe while a startled Ryoga darted to the counter and began dialing. "Something interfered from the outside. His curse spirit found a way to escape from him… the hard way."

"WHAT?" Ranma shouted. "Escape? You sayin' his 'curse spirit' ripped itself out of his body?"

Akane's face went white. "Is that possible?" she breathed.

"Theoretically, but only if some other demon synched with his spirit infection and drew it out," Shingen replied. "I'll explain later; give me some room here." He stood up and brought his fingers together in a triangle pattern. "_Naosu Kousen!"_ he snapped as he focused the ray of gold light on Mousse's gut. Ranma maintained pressure on the wound; Akane thought back to her Health classes and began checking his pulse at the wrist. Shampoo remained kneeling by his head, shivering.

"Mousse going to be okay, right?" the Amazon asked softly. "He get fixed up?"

"That's what we're trying to do, Shampoo," Ranma answered. "I hope so."

Akane gulped. "I'm no expert, but his pulse feels pretty weak," she said. "He's breathing kinda harshly, too."

"C'mon man, hang in there," Ranma muttered. _Dammit, this isn't funny…_

Shingen's brow knitted and he clenched his teeth. "This doesn't feel right."

"What? What doesn't feel right?" asked Akane. Beyond her, Ryoga was babbling into the phone.

"I'm not synching up with his aura as well as I should," Shingen replied tersely. "Naosu Kousen should be accelerating his healing through the roof by now, but it's not nearly as strong as it's supposed to be."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ranma snapped.

"His aura's very weak right now, so it's not responding well." The taller man shook his head. "I'm only guessing, but based on appearances he may have been Soul Ripped."

Shampoo stared. "What you saying? Soul Ripped? What with you and weird words?"

"That Tengu that just busted out of here probably took some of his spirit energy with it," Shingen shot back as he began pumping more of his ki into the beam of light. "That's what's making it harder to close that wound." Beads of sweat were beginning to roll down his temple. The light danced over and around the impromptu bandage in Ranma's hands, worming into the gash and sealing it at a maddeningly slow pace.

Ryoga slammed the phone down. "I got a hold of Dr. Tofu, he's on his way over now," he said. "Oh geez, is he gonna be okay?"

Ranma stared down at the unconscious Chinese weapon master. "Don't ask me; I've been in a lot of scrapes with this guy and I never saw him get gashed like that."

Shampoo swallowed hard. "Shampoo never thank Mousse for… for what he do… when Shampoo lose control and listen to voice in head…" Her features wavered, then firmed somewhat. "Mousse is Amazon… come back from fights before and no die then… so…"

Ryoga said nothing, but stared in wonder at Shampoo for a moment- then noticed Akari on one side of the room, sitting on the floor and hugging her knees as she tried to fight back a flood of fear-induced tears. Something inside him snapped to attention and an instant later he was next to Akari, gathering her into his arms and whispering calming words in her ear.

"Pulse doesn't feel good, you guys," said Akane nervously.

"I know, I can feel it from here," Shingen replied in an emotionless voice. _Damn it all, how could this have happened? How in the Nine Hells did something give his infection the strength to do this? And that infection… if that Greater Tengu was inside him, why didn't I SEE it when I scanned him the first time? Was it hiding itself in a maboroshi technique?_ Just then he felt a shift in Mousse's breathing patterns. _No… you're not going to do this to me, not while I've still got a lock on what's left of your aura…_

Mousse let out a long, sobbing breath and slumped down on the floor. Akane blinked and knitted her brow as she focused her fledgling aura senses on him. Shortly afterward, she gasped and looked up.

Shampoo inched closer. "What is happening?"

"I can't feel his pulse," said Akane in a panic.

Shampoo gasped. "W-what? What you say?"

"Aura's getting weaker," Shingen growled, his own aura flaring bright gold as he began pouring all his reserves into his healing technique. "Response is still low; he's going into cardiac arrest."

Ryoga's head snapped up. "You saying he's gonna die?"

"No!" Shampoo cried, reaching over and cradling Mousse's head. "Mousse, no do this, please! Stupid Mousse, please… no die…"

Ranma's eyes flashed with a look of iron. "He ain't gonna die if I got anything to say about it." He sprang up and moved into a position further up on Mousse's body. "We're just gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way. Akane, move down and keep your hands on his wound; don't let up the pressure. Shampoo, you're gonna have to help me out with this and give Mousse here mouth-to-mouth."

Shampoo almost froze up when she realized what was happening and what she'd just been asked, but shook herself out of her state and nodded hesitantly. "What you going to do, Ranma?"

"I'm gonna beat the daylights into him," he replied hurriedly before rolling up his sleeves and giving Mousse a hard thump in the sternum. His hands quickly snapped into position and he began administering chest compressions, silently thanking the Kami for keeping him awake during Furinkan's Health class when they had discussed CPR. Akane's hands locked the napkins in place over the wound; after five compressions Ranma gave Shampoo the signal to breathe. She hesitated for a microsecond, one or two old and bad memories prodding the back of her mind- but these were quickly overshadowed by a string of better memories, memories of him giving it all to save her. The hesitation vanished and she planted her lips on his, sending air rushing into his lungs. Shingen nodded to himself and continued to pour ki into his technique.

Seconds began to tick by. "C'mon, Mousse, don't do this to me; I'm not gonna lose a damn good sparring partner today!" Ranma began to sweat, his own aura ebbing outward from his fingertips. _I dunno if this is gonna work; I've never tried that Healing Light thing except on Acchan's bruises…_

"Aura's still wavering," Shingen muttered. "Can't feel him responding much."

"This can't be happening," Ukyo whispered from the sidelines, clutching her combat spatula with white-knuckled hands.

"Mousse, no go yet," Shampoo whimpered. "I never say I sorry for pushing you around all time…"

"Dammit, man, BREATHE already!" Ranma snapped. "Shampoo, don't stop, you gotta give him some more air!" Shampoo nodded before taking a breath and ventilating Mousse once again.

Akane began to chew her lip. _Why? Why did this have to happen? Who cares how, WHY? We'd just started fixing things between all of us, he helped us out in that fight with the yamaneko and this is the thanks he gets? This isn't right! Come on, Mousse, you've got to fight this! You can't just go… we're not gonna let you!_ She squeezed her eyes shut and spread her hands so that they completely covered the wound, took a deep breath and began to reach out with her own aura. _Great Kami, I don't even know if I'm doing this right…_

Seconds ticked away in silence, save for the thump-thump sound of Ranma's chest compressions and Shampoo's rescue breathing. Shingen's eyes cracked open, bloodshot from the strain of his ki exertion which was bathing the entire restaurant in pale gold light.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the wound in Mousse's side. The blood had stopped oozing out of it…

…and seemed to be reversing direction. A flicker in the ki patterns of the room attracted his attention, just as the gash slowly began to seal. "I'm getting something."

Shampoo's head snapped up. "What? What is it?"

"I think he's starting to respond."

"Still not breathing," said Ranma.

"Keep focusing your ki, you and Akane both," Shingen replied. "Don't let up on the CPR, I think it's stabilizing him."

Ranma blinked, then smiled as he resumed. "See man, I knew you weren't out yet; now come on and breathe on your own, for Kami's sake!" Akane said nothing, but smiled weakly and kept reaching out with her own aura, trying to direct its flow into and around the slowly closing hole under her fingers.

Three chest compressions later, Mousse's eyes snapped open and he gasped for breath; Ranma pulled back as Mousse lapsed into a coughing fit, arms crossed over his ribcage in obvious pain. Akane flinched at his sudden movement but didn't let go of the blood-soaked napkins on his gut.

Shingen gritted his teeth, continuing to direct the flow of the Naosu Kousen until Mousse's coughs faded and he began to breathe more regularly, the color slowly creeping back into his face. A moment later, the beam of light faded and Shingen dropped to one knee, letting out a year of a sigh and wiping sweat away from his eyes.

Akari glanced up, still in a mild state of shock. "What… what's happening? Is he alright?"

Ranma swallowed hard. "Mousse… if you can hear me, say something."

Mousse coughed again and one eye cracked open. "Something," he croaked.

Ranma slumped backwards and heaved a sigh of relief; Akane did likewise, reaching over and giving Ranma's hand a quick squeeze. "Hope I don't have to go through that again," the pig-tailed one said at length, eliciting a nod and groan of agreement from Akane.

"I don't think any of us need to go through that again," Ryoga muttered softly. _Geez, I wasn't even in the thick of it and my heart's goin' a mile a minute…_

"What… what happened to me…" Mousse started to mumble before turning his head and locking eyes with a shaking Shampoo, an unreadable mishmash of emotion swirling in her eyes. He blinked and shifted up slightly, trying to prop himself on his elbows. "Sha… Shampoo? What's the mat…"

He didn't get any further as Shampoo suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders and began shaking him till his eyes rattled. "STUPID MOUSSE!" she wailed. "No scare Shampoo like that again! Never, ever, EVER AGAIN!" Two tears escaped her eyes and she yanked him into one of her fiercer glomps. "Please, not do that again… I no can take it if Mousse do stupid thing like that again!"

"Shampoo…" he gasped, taken aback both by her behavior and by the fact that she was threatening to crack his already-abused ribcage. "I can't breathe… what… what happened? What'd I do now?"

Her grip softened slightly as she rested her head- somewhat roughly- on his shoulder. "I know I say it many times in past when I angry… but I… I not r-really mean it… Shampoo not _really_ want Mousse to… to die…"

Mousse stiffened. "What… what did you say…" he said in an incredulous tone before lapsing into another coughing fit.

"I think we'd better get you to lie down someplace better," said Shingen, frowning as he peered at what remained of Mousse's wound. _That gash went pretty deep, too deep for the Healing Light to seal without scarring. And I'm pretty sure his body's not the only thing scarred by now, either._ He shifted and tried to struggle to his feet, suddenly feeling the effects of pushing his aura to the limit- and then felt a hand on his right arm.

"You alright there, Shingen-kun?" Ukyo asked softly. "Need a hand up?"

Shingen blinked, then shrugged and smiled. "Yeah, I could use a hand, now that you mention it," he said. "Think I pushed it a bit too hard." Ukyo smiled and took hold of his elbow, helping the taller man get back to his feet.

--------------------

Not long afterward, Cologne made her appearance, followed closely by Dr. Tofu, whereupon the others gave them a rushed but rather detailed description of what had happened. Mousse had attempted to stand up but failed miserably, and had to settle for being carried to his room on Ranma and Ryoga's shoulders. Shingen had filled them in on the details of his aura's diminished strength, then left the room to let the Doctor and Elder examine Mousse themselves. For some reason that she refused to divulge, Shampoo stayed in the room as well, sitting off to one side with a faint flush on her face.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything like it in my life," said Dr. Tofu as he and Cologne stepped out of Mousse's bedroom, closing the door behind them. "Whatever happened, demonic or not, it's left him very weak for the time being, and under any other circumstances, I'd be insisting he be transferred to the hospital right now." He paused, then glanced back at the door. "But then again, these are hardly normal circumstances if you ask me."

"Hardly normal indeed," the old crone murmured, looking at the door with an air that combined worry and regret at the same time. _Great heavens above… I can't believe that boy almost died today…_ "Seems I owe Ranma and the others a debt of my own now; our tribe takes a matter such as this quite seriously."

"Are you talking about the injuries he sustained, or the manner in which he was treated?"

"Neither, Doctor," Cologne replied. "The fact that his life was saved by three who are tribal outsiders. You see…"

--------------------

Downstairs, the remaining six sat wearily at a corner table.

"You see the look on her face?" Ukyo said quietly. "I've never seen her look that way before- at least not when he was involved."

"Me neither," Akane replied. "But then again, I don't think I've been this close to seeing… well… you know." She heaved a sigh and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Sorry I snapped at you earlier, Ryoga- stress of the moment, you know." Ryoga shrugged and gave her a light nod.

"I hope I never see anything like that again," said Akari with a shiver.

"Me neither," Ryoga muttered. "That hit a little too damn close to home if you ask me."

"You can say that again, Ryoga," said Ranma as he folded his arms and let out a long sigh. _Thank Kami we got him out of that mess; after the schoolyard this was one thing I did NOT wanna let happen._

_You and me both, Ranma,_ Akane replied in his mind's ear.She paused a moment in thought, then smirked._ Though… I was a little surprised at first when you told Shampoo to help you out, since I know CPR, too… at least till I saw what you had in mind._

Ranma mentally shrugged and turned to look at her. _I know those two had some bad moments, but I dunno… somethin' told me she had at least a bit of a soft spot for the guy. He helped her the other day at the warehouse; now she got a chance to help him. An' besides… I wasn't too hot on seein' your lips on his at the moment._

Akane snickered. _Baka._

"Hey, why so quiet, you two?" Ukyo piped up, breaking the silence.

"Sorry, just lost in thought," Akane replied with an awkward smile.

"Yeah, me too," Ranma added with an identical smile. "Bit much to digest at the moment, ya know."

"I know," Ryoga said with a nod. "Now, I know I've said it already, but would you all mind telling me what the Sam Hill is going on today? I've been hearing nothing but talk about demons, auras, Hell Hounds, a Tengu, someone almost dying and something called a Soul Rip for the better part of the last hour- geez, I knew nothing is ever normal in this ward, but this is starting to get a little nuts!"

"Sweetie, there's no need to press them," said Akari in a calm voice as she took Ryoga's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Maybe this should wait until we can all just take a deep breath and…"

"No, we might as well air it now," said Shingen with a look of self-recrimination on his face that caused the others to blink. "You're not the only one thinking this day's been a little nuts. I can't believe it myself…" He rested his forehead on the heel of his hand and groaned. "Damn it all, I had a ward drying back at my room, I was getting set to Purge his curse in a safe manner this evening, and then something pulls _this_ shit on us." He slapped the table with his other hand and cursed under his breath. "His aura looked _stable_ before; how was something like a Greater Tengu able to hide itself like that!" _Not to mention doing what I think it did… I've never seen a spirit eject itself from a host body in that manner before, but to execute a Soul Rip and steal part of his life force at the same time… but why?_

"Shingen…" Ukyo murmured, biting her lip and giving him a look that Akane and Ranma both failed to miss. The two of them blinked and looked at each other oddly.

Ryoga drummed his fingers on the table. "So wait a sec… okay, now it's coming back to me, you said the whole Jusenkyo thing was related to demons before, right?" Shingen nodded. "And the ones behind Ranma's curse and mine got bumped off, right?" Another nod. "Then… that thing we saw bust down the door of the Neko Hanten really _was_ what was inside Mousse?"

"Most likely," said Ranma.

"Damn…" Ryoga breathed. He looked at the table a moment, then looked back up again. "Then what about those dogs that attacked us? And the two of you fighting so well together? And those swords? Think you can tell me what that's all about now?"

A moment of silence fell over the lot of them.

Akane sighed. "Should we tell them?"

Ranma nodded slowly. "I guess we're gonna have to," he replied.

--------------------

High above the skies of Japan, a dark figure danced lightly over the surface of the clouds. Its black wings beat slowly but with great power, propelling the beast forward at an ever-increasing velocity. Its red eyes glinted as its left hand clenched around the vacillating orb of blue ki therein. With a shriek akin to an eagle, it beat its wings harder and shifted course, bearing due West.

Not more than five feet away, an ugly gray imp materialized and cackled with glee, matching the Tengu's pace easily.

_Not long now, my Master,_ it mused, gazing fondly at the indigo sigils etched into its right hand. _The final key is in our grasp. Soon you shall be free… and soon shall I be rewarded. It was a great honor to become your chosen eye and hand… not like my stupider brethren, only concerned with trickery and casual torment… soon you shall rise again and allow me to transcend my existence and become your true Right Hand. And then…_

_Then you shall have your revenge._

The imp's maniacal laughter echoed through the clouds as it and its massive companion flew onward.

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Note 11/3/05: First off, I'm not a Mousse hater; when I first developed these chronicles I hadn't envisioned what happened herein, it just happened to write itself that way. Remember, in a previous chapter there had been an allusion to a seal falling by demonic or human blood- whether it resulted in the death of the one concerned was not completely at issue, nor was it mentioned directly. The release of spirit energy lies at the heart of it all… and now things may be taking a turn for the worse.

But that's to be seen. Whether any immediate harm comes to the NWC or not, that'll have to wait. As the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold. There's still much I have planned for the others- how will Ryoga react when the truth comes out? What did Ukyo want to ask Akane about in the previous chapter? Did Nabiki ever pitch a fit when she found out Ranma disabled her surveillance gear? These answers and more will have to wait until another day.

I forgot to mention in the previous chapter- the two pigs Akari mentioned, Katsushiro and Kikuchiyo. Their names are borrowed directly from Kurosawa's _Seven Samurai_. Katsushiro was the young samurai eager to learn from the veteran Kambei; Kikuchiyo(played by Toshiro Mifune) was a boisterous warrior who claimed to be samurai but was more a brawler than a skilled swordsman, a sort of comic figure.

A Tengu, for those who don't know, was a long-nosed goblin popular in Japanese folklore. If memory serves me, early artistic versions depicted them with bird's heads; some could be benefactors to humans, others could be cruel.

Wonderbee31: Thanks for your support; hope this chapter was satisfying, though Genma's treatment results will have to wait a tad longer.

Dragon Man 180: Yep, the distraction of the Hell Hounds was primarily that, a distraction. Afraid the Peking Duck will have to wait a bit; the only reason the Tengu got away was the complete lack of barrier wards, mainly due to the fact its escape was unexpected. In controlled quarters, it likely would have had a harder time 'taking flight', no pun intended.

Taro MD: Evil? I resemble that remark… Sorry to disappoint but not as much fighting this time around, that comes later. Rest assured there will be roast fowl on the menu eventually- just not now. And the boy who bowled Mousse over? Maybe he was the imp in disguise…

Martrex: Yes, it's possible our favorite duo might start carrying their swords; no one really fusses about Ukyo, Kuno or Kodachi carrying weapons onto school grounds anyways, so why not?

Little Minamino: Thanks for your support; hope you didn't mind the tension too much.

JWG: Thanks, man, I try to do well with imagery. Genma needs a bit more work, but more on that later. Keep up the good work on your own stories, my friend.

Borg rabbit: As far as Neko-ken goes, that hasn't been entirely dealt with yet but some hints have been scattered here and there. Thanks.

SkyDragon2083: Thank you very much; there may have been some resemblance to the Egyptian god Thoth, but only in passing.

Majinbuu7985: That's a very interesting thought regarding the Musk- not to mention Taro and Rouge. But whether it has any bearing on what I have planned is yet to be seen.

Selena, Priestess Kohana, LunaRoseAF, The-Shadow002, Animefanatik, kyon: Thank you very much.

Darklion: Glad you liked that bit; once I thought of it I just had to write it out.

Dumbledork: At this point I have no plans to make it a crossover story. Interesting food for thought, though. Glad you like it.

Silver Warrior: Quite right, Nerima doesn't really have a definition of normal. But that's what makes it fun to visit in the summertime. Heh.

Bando-Eido no Megami-sama: Thank you very much for your very thorough review. As far as the treatment of Genma, through most of the original series you have to remember he almost got away with murder sometimes. Putting Ranma through training hell, selling him for food and passing the blame on to him… the guy was Teflon, he never suffered the repercussions I always felt he should have. Admittedly, Nabiki's shock collar was a bit much- but then again, this is Nabiki we're dealing with here. I will be incorporating Ryoga a bit more as I go; since this is an R+A story that did have to take center stage for quite a while. Hopefully this latest installment pleases, and I will be back for more.

And to everyone, again I thank you for reading this haphazard production. Please review if you have the time; I'll keep on writing, though it might take a few weeks to get my notes and ideas in order. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	31. This Is No Dream

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. That said, we now return to our regularly scheduled fanfiction. Enjoy.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 31: This Is No Dream

--------------------

It was raining. A light, breezy sort of rain that turned the roads and sidewalks slick and elicited many expletives from the bicycle riders who hadn't paid attention to the day's weather forecast. There wasn't anything harsh about it, no immediate risk of being drenched- just a light summer shower. Pinpricks of water dotted the windshields of parked cars and collected on roofs, eventually dribbling down rain gutters and restaurant awnings in slow, steady streams. It might have begun to pool in the broken remains of one restaurant's front door if a man in a leather jacket and a black bandanna across his forehead hadn't moved it under the overhang.

It had started to rain not long after Ranma had begun to explain certain events to a somewhat impatient Ryoga, and just before Shingen had stood up from the table and excused himself. The taller man still stood just outside the doorway, arms folded and a tired look on his face. The others remained inside at the corner table, where Ryoga's expression had slowly turned from impatient to incredulous over the course of the conversation.

"So anyway… that's the long an' the short of it, really," Ranma said with a sigh, drumming his hand on the table.

"You mean…" Akari whispered, wide-eyed. "You've dealt with things like that before? And might be doing it again?"

"More or less," Ranma replied. "I take it Ryoga didn't tell you about what happened in China a week an' a half ago, right?"

"Not much of it," Akari admitted with a shrug. "He mentioned something about a fight at a place called Jusendo, but he didn't go into too many details… "

"I'm not surprised," Akane murmured. "That wasn't a fun day for any of us," she added with a shiver.

Ukyo shivered slightly as well, glancing at both Ranma and Akane, then back over her shoulder in Shingen's direction. _I thought those stories were just tall tales till a few nights ago… but even then I thought that was him and me talkin' over an okonomiyaki, just table talk … geez, I know Shin-kun said you two'd gone through something nasty out there, but I didn't know it was that bad!_ She bit her lower lip. "Damn, sugar… talk about out of the blue…"

Ryoga sat up in his seat. "You're telling me that… that you two somehow got roped into this whole mess… _how?_"

"We weren't roped into anything, bonehead, it's not like we weren't offered a choice this time around."

"Excuse me?" He glanced between the two of them, disbelief still swimming in his eyes. "You drop a bombshell like THIS on me- something about your blood being tied to this whole Hunter thing, not to mention that thing you said about a 'bloodline obligation'- and you're telling me there was some sort of CHOICE involved?" Ryoga sat back heavily, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, you might be able to convince me about the existence of otherworldly beasts- gods know I've fought a few in my time, mostly when you were involved somehow- but you can't expect me to believe this wasn't something else beyond your control, Ranma!"

"For your information, _buddy,_" Ranma growled, "when we found out about this we weren't pressed one way or the other; Shingen told us we had the option ta suppress this gift if we didn't want it- he was upfront on the whole deal, not like my old man, who you know just loves to wait till after the fact to clue ya in on things."

"You can say that again," said Ukyo frostily. Akane nodded.

"Okay, okay- so he tells you you've got an option to suppress this blood-thing of yours," said Ryoga. "As if. I know you better than that, you think I don't know you love to jump at any chance to put yourself up a few more notches? Add a little more glory to your reputation? Work yourself up to a level nobody else could ever hope to…"

"Sweetie, don't," Akari said as she gently squeezed Ryoga's arm. "You're getting yourself worked up again; I thought we talked about this."

Ryoga paused, then slumped back in his chair with an embarrassed look on his face. "Sorry. Force of habit there… the point is, I know you. And I know how easily you get roped into doing something- _anything_- especially when it comes to martial arts. And now you're getting Akane- your own fiancée- pulled into this as well? After what happened in China?"

Akane gritted her teeth. "Ryoga, didn't you listen to what we've been telling you? I didn't 'catch' this gift from Ranma, this is something that was inside me all this time- I just wasn't aware of it, and neither was he! And you might as well know, he didn't exactly 'leap' at accepting this, he didn't do anything until he and I _talked it over _first!"

She paused a moment, giving Ryoga ample time to recover from his jaw abruptly falling onto the table.

"Look, I'm not going to deny this whole thing has me a little scared." She sighed. "Okay, maybe more than just a little… especially with what just happened in here… but this is something that's part of me. Part of us… and besides, the whole reason Ranma and I started training in the first place was to make sure that incident in China doesn't happen again." Akane paused, then leaned forward on the table, not looking at anyone in particular. "I don't want to turn and walk away from something like this just because it happens to freak me out a little. A part of me may want to write it off as all some weird dream, but the rest of me knows it isn't. I'd rather know what I'm dealing with than… than get blindsided again."

Ranma reached over and took her hand in his. "Yeah, same here. Besides- at least this time we got offered some sorta choice before it was shoved into our hands."

Ryoga looked at the two of them long and hard, and for a while no one said anything.

"So… what happens now?" he said at length.

Ranma shrugged. "We keep doin' what we've been doing. Keep pushing ourselves, find out what we can and can't do." He turned and looked at Akane just as she turned and looked at him. "Just take it one step at a time, I guess."

Ukyo tapped Akane's other hand. "You really sure you're okay with this?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow. "Livin' with more stuff like what happened a few days ago, or a few hours ago?" Akane gave her an odd look as she continued. "Hey, I'm not tryin' to swing your opinion, Akane, but geez… the way you two described it, this thing could really step on any long-term plans of yours. And what about your families, what're they gonna say?"

Akane shrugged. "I'm not sure how Dad's going to take it, but Ranma's mom already knows… she was worried a bit, but she did say she wasn't going to hold us back yesterday afternoon. And as far as 'living with it goes'… I don't know. It probably wouldn't be much different from what we've dealt with already over the past year." She paused, then smirked. "Geez, listen to me. Last year I probably would've screamed out for a little peace and quiet over more of the usual chaos."

"Actually, I was just about to say that…" Ukyo drawled, giving Akane a slightly bemused look. "When I first met you, ya didn't seem to be that big on craziness, 'kane."

"Guess that's just something about this dummy that rubbed off on me," she replied with a giggle, squeezing Ranma's hand. "I got used to it."

"C'mon, 'kane, you had a thing for challenges way before ya ever met me," said Ranma.

"Yeah, right, before you came by the only challenge I had to deal with was Kuno and his Hentai Horde." Akane gave him a wry glare which quickly softened into a smile. "Although… I won't deny there were a few moments when I wanted a little more variety than that…"

"There ya go."

"I'm not saying I was expecting this _kind_ of variety, mind you…" She paused, then glanced back in Ukyo's direction. "But in a way… yeah, I am okay with this. And as far as long-term plans go, one thing I've learned in the last year and a half… plans change." She shook her head almost imperceptibly. "Just wish I'd learned that a little sooner."

Ukyo paused, then nodded slowly. "You're not the only one, sugar," she murmured. _Plans change… you sure got that right. And they never really change the way you expect them to, either._ Her eyes began to drift towards the doorway once again.

"Unbelievable," Ryoga muttered. "You know, you think someone's gotten as far as they're gonna go, and then you turn around and find they've jumped up again. At this rate I'm _never_ gonna get a fair sparring match against you, Ranma."

Ranma groaned. "Good grief, man, are ya still harping on that crap even after everything else? I _said_ I was sorry about the bread thing! _And_ the curse thing…"

"Okay, that wasn't what I meant," Ryoga replied, holding his hands up. "Look, I'm not telling you to 'prepare to die' again, I'm just saying that… well…" He let out a long breath. "I just wanted one last match with you, for old times' sake! You and me, bare hands, one time, and that's it! Thought maybe we could finally lay this whole damn feud to rest after all this time…" He rolled his eyes. "But you just keep getting better, not to mention pick up some sort of long-lost family weapon…"

"Hey, I didn't know about this sword, it just kinda fell into my hands…"

"That's not the point! The point is, there's NO WAY I can get a fair match with you right now! I just wanted one single fair fight, but I saw what you did in China, I know what you can do; how do you expect me to measure up now that you've got _this_ to throw in my face?"

Ranma blinked, then smiled. "Hey, if all ya want is one fair sparring match I can give ya that."

It was Ryoga's turn to blink. "Huh?"

"I got no problem with a fair fight; I know what ya can do too, an' if you want one last match then you'll get one last match, man. Hell, I'd be insulted if ya _didn't_ ask for a match; you're one o' the best sparring partners I ever had, Ryoga- you, Mousse, the old ghoul… I'd hate to lose that just 'cause _you_ think you can't catch up. YOU said it, not me."

Ryoga's eyebrow twitched. "Hey, I didn't say I couldn't _ever_ catch up to you, Ranma."

"That's not what it sounded like, man… what's the matter, giving up just because of one little new thing? Do you wanna fight me one last time or dontcha?"

"Of course I wanna fight one last time!"

"So why bother gripin' about whether ya 'measure up' or not? Why not just _do_ something and see what happens? C'mon, think I've forgotten the fact that ya hit like a damn jackhammer?" Ranma folded his arms and smirked. "It's up to you, man. Win or lose, doesn't matter to me."

Ryoga sat back in silence for a moment… and then slowly nodded. "No funny stuff?"

"Nope. Just a match between buds."

"Then you got a deal, Ranma." He paused, then looked up with a vexed expression. "That is… soon as Akari an' I finish that errand and take care of things back at the farm." He looked at Akari, who nodded in approval. Akane rested her chin on her hand and smiled amusedly.

"Well, well… sounds like the beginnings of a fine friendship, you two." Ranma started and whipped around in his chair; Akane did likewise as all eyes came to rest on Cologne, balanced on her staff not more than three feet from the conversation.

"GEEZ! Try not to sneak up on us next time, okay? Just about gave me a heart attack!"

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic, sonny," Cologne chuckled, hopping up next to Ranma's chair and playfully tousling his hair. "I didn't want to interrupt your conversation, that's all… sounds like the two of you have been making a fair bit of progress."

"Yeah, you could say that," Ranma replied with a shrug.

"Well… I dunno, I just figured better to do that than keep bashin' my own head in over something stupid," Ryoga added. "My way of making up for a few big mistakes." Akari said nothing, but patted his hand reassuringly.

"Well, that is an admirable way of going about it," the Elder said with a nod. "I expected as much from young Ranma here- something I noticed about him, the way he seems to want to turn the majority of his foes into allies instead of… well, the other alternative."

Akane nodded. "Yeah, one or two exceptions aside, I don't know if I've ever seen him really hold a grudge."

"Geez, 'kane, you trying to embarrass me here?"

"I think you have a knack for doin' it to yourself most times, Ran-chan," Ukyo giggled, eliciting matching laughs from both Akane and Akari. Ranma groaned, giving Ryoga a look that seemed to say, _see what I gotta put up with?_

"This is all well and good," Cologne interrupted, "but there is a matter that I feel needs to be dealt with. Ranma, Akane, would you both come upstairs with me? Mousse and Shampoo were both wanting to see you."

Akane stopped laughing. "Is something the matter?"

"Yeah, is that guy doin' okay? Ya know he gave us one helluva scare," Ranma added.

"He's fine," Cologne admonished. "Weak at the moment, but he'll recover in time with some of my herbal remedies and a few ki treatments of my own." She hopped away from the table; Akane and Ranma glanced at one another before getting up and following close behind.

"Though I daresay I would not have expected him to survive what apparently happened to him," she added in a solemn voice as they headed up the stairs. "The Doctor and I examined his aura quite thoroughly; if you two hadn't done what you did in conjunction with Mr. Yamashira, he would not have survived. I doubt even my own skills, by themselves, could have done much to close a wound like that in time, let alone fortify his damaged spirit."

Akane gulped. "So if we hadn't been in the neighborhood…"

"Then he'd be dead for real," Ranma muttered as the three of them approached the door to Mousse's room. Cologne opened the door, ushering the two of them inside. Dr. Tofu stood up from the bed as they entered, having finished manipulating several therapeutic pressure points on Mousse's arm.

"Hey Doc," Ranma quipped. "How's he doing?"

"Well, given what he endured this afternoon and what I've been able to read in his aura, amazingly well," Dr. Tofu replied. "Frankly, I've never seen anything like this in all my years; if I hadn't seen some of the things Mr. Yamashira described with my own eyes, I probably wouldn't believe it."

Mousse shifted in his bed slightly, lifting a hand up to wave weakly at the new arrivals. "Hello, Saotome… Miss Tendo."

"Hi Mousse," said Akane as she moved to sit on the side of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

Mousse let out a long sigh, wincing slightly. "Like something tried to pluck and clean me," he groaned humorlessly. "Stomach still hurts… but I think I'll be alright in a while."

"Of course you be alright," Shampoo piped up from the other side of the bed. "Mousse be all better in no time, you see." She looked at him with a slight smile, then looked at Akane and Ranma who were giving her odd looks. "Well… he the only waiter at Neko Hanten, so he got to get better; Mousse would no make Shampoo do all the work, after all," she added defensively, attempting to portray the haughty air that she had used around him for so long. It wasn't working; the blush on her face and the look in her eyes were betraying her.

"Just give me a little time to rest… I'll be okay," said Mousse with a nod of his head before turning to face Ranma again. "I guess I wouldn't have been okay if you hadn't done what you did…" He paused, then coughed lightly. "Thank you… both of you."

Ranma nodded, moving to sit on the bed next to Akane. "No problem, man. Would've done it for anyone." Akane didn't say anything, but nodded in agreement.

"I'm really proud of both of you," said Dr. Tofu from the side of the room. "As I'm sure your fathers will be when they hear you helped save a life."

Ranma shrugged. "Akane's father, maybe. I'm not so sure about my old man; might fault me for offering aid to a 'rival'," he groused, grinding as much sarcasm as he could into the 'rival' part.

"Oh, I don't know… he might be more receptive to other people's opinions now," said Cologne with a mysterious smirk. "Now, if I may, we have a more pressing matter that needs tending to. You two, as well as Mr. Yamashira, have saved the life of this young man today. An Amazon male. Saved by three outsiders, not of the Joketsuzoku. In recognition of your actions, I give you this." Ranma had wanted to ask what Cologne meant by her earlier remark about Genma being receptive, but this thought quickly exited his mind as the old Amazon shuffled forward on the bed, hopped up and kissed him right in the middle of his forehead. A second later, Cologne had scooted past him and had kissed Akane on the forehead as well.

Both teens' eyes were as big as saucers as thoughts began to race between them via the Astral Link. '_What the hell was that…' 'Ranma, she just kissed us both, and she did just mention outsiders…' 'Oh hell… that can't have been the Kiss of Death…' 'Sure wasn't the Kiss of Marriage, Ranma… what's gonna happen to us now?' 'I dunno, Acchan, I dunno…'_

"Oh, will you two relax?" Cologne chuckled. "Yes, I know full well you've had more than a few bad experiences with Amazon kisses, but I promise you, this one isn't as bad as you think. Young Mr. Yamashira received his not long after he helped the good Doctor and myself to stabilize this young fool here," she continued, pointing at Mousse, "and he didn't complain about it or panic." She paused, then looked down. "In fact, I'd almost considered giving him his even if he hadn't helped save a life… as a sort of repayment of a wrong our tribe did to his fellow Hunters. Though I didn't really have a chance to explain its meaning to him before he left to rejoin you downstairs…"

Akane shook herself out of her daze. "So what was that? And why?"

"You already know of the Kisses of Death and Marriage," said Cologne, "and while I must confess I am beginning to doubt their necessity in these modern times, they _are_ still tradition." She smiled. "One that you may not be aware of is the Kiss of Sisterhood- or in Ranma's case, or Yamashira's- Brotherhood."

"Is ancient tribal tradition, but rarely used," Shampoo piped up. "Is not often Amazon's life saved by outsider- but if outsider willingly save life of wounded or dying Amazon, then they become recognized Amazon too. Not subject to Kiss of Death or Marriage anymore, since they no longer tribal outsider."

Ranma's jaw nearly hit the floor; Akane goggled. "Wait a minute, you're saying… what are you saying?" Ranma managed to get out.

"You saved my life," said Mousse weakly, with a smile. "And you're a damn good fighter. I would be very glad to call you my brother."

"Shampoo know we fight lots in past," the purple-haired girl murmured, "but Akane offer truce the night Ranma cured. Help with voice in Shampoo's mind, too… if you no mind, I be happy to call Akane sister."

Both teens in question looked at each other in disbelief- and then fainted.

--------------------

"Hey… you all right out here, sugar?"

Shingen blinked and turned his head to the right; Ukyo was standing next to him just outside the Neko Hanten's ruined doorframe. He sighed heavily and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"I'm well enough," he replied. "Needed a little fresh air, that's all."

"You bugged out of that conversation pretty quick, ya know," said Ukyo as she leaned against the wall, hugging herself to ward off the chill of the rain.

"Didn't think I had much to offer to it," he answered. "Those two had it under control; they wanted to be the ones to tell you about it anyways."

Ukyo nodded slowly. "You mean that whole Hunter blood thing." She looked up at the clouds, the drizzle still descending all the while. "Yeah, that was a bit of a shocker… I know ya told me the three of you were doin' some combat training over the weekend, but I didn't think it was… anything like THIS."

Shingen shrugged. "Didn't seem important at the time," he said in a dull voice. "We had things to do."

The rain continued to fall; for a moment, there were no sounds except for myriad tiny splashes all around.

Ukyo turned to look at Shingen. "Ya know, I might not be as good at reading auras as some of you guys," she said softly, "but I can tell when something's up. You're not all right, are you?"

Shingen chuckled. "You sound just like my sister, Ukyo." He folded his arms and let out another sigh, staring up at the clouds. "No… no, I guess I'm not exactly feeling 'all right' right now."

"Is it about what happened here? That looked pretty rough…"

He shook his head. "There's more to it than that," he said, a look of concern creeping into his eyes. "The fact that I didn't see it coming, that's what got to me about this, but there's the Hell Hound incident at the school as well… or any of what we've dealt with up to this point over the past week. Right back to when I first got to town and wound up trying to kill Ranma because I wasn't thinking or seeing right…" He paused, then looked at her. "Something's happening, Ukyo. Something big, and I can't tell what it is yet… and even with everything I've dealt with in all my years as a Hunter… it's starting to scare me."

Ukyo paused, then nodded slightly. "Never dealt with this much stuff in a row, is that it?"

Shingen shook his head. "If it were just that I could deal… No, it's the unknowns that're getting to me. I couldn't see Mousse's infection for what it was… got distracted by those goddamned Hell Hounds… my father was right, something's going down, and I'm just not sure if those two are going to be mentally ready for it." He paused. "Or if I'm ready for it. I didn't plan on things getting this out of hand. I know I can't blame myself for what happened to Mousse today… but… I've lived by the Code so long I can't help but feel partially responsible." He put a hand to his forehead and grimaced.

Ukyo shuffled a bit closer. "Well, for what it's worth, I kinda know how you feel, Shin-kun."

The taller man blinked. "How so?"

"Not planning on things getting out of hand. Unknowns, things you get distracted by or can't deal with in a calm manner," she said softly. "With you, it's this thing with Mousse or those Hell Hounds- and I won't ask why, you don't have to tell me what they did if ya don't want to. With me… it was the whole mess with Ran-chan. I got so damn distracted with the blood feud that my old man burned into my brain, ya know."

"Yeah, you told me about that the other night over okonomiyaki. You said it was either kill him and his father, or marry him. And I still think that was a stupid thing for your father to ask of you."

"You and me both." Ukyo folded her arms and let out a long sigh. "But I lived with that on my mind for ten years, ya know. I kept seeing my old man looking at me as if I was some kind of a failure… it got so bad it turned into a damn obsession. I didn't… I didn't even realize I was letting it take over my life till I wound up putting other people's lives at risk… then after that…" She looked up at the sky. "When I had time to think it over… and then heard Ran-chan telling Shampoo what was what… well, that's when the light bulb clicked." She absently wiped her brow.

"I figured out I hadn't really treated him like a fiancée should- well, Akane didn't do that much better at times, but at least she didn't treat him like some sorta door prize. She didn't try to press him one way or the other; all I ever did was fight to try an' claim him. Wound up forgetting part of our past friendship… and, well… now that I think about it, I dunno if I was ever really _in_ love with Ran-chan in the first place. I care about him, sure… a hell of a lot, actually… but… I know some of the things he an' Akane did for each other… and I dunno if I ever _really_ felt close enough to him to do the same." She heaved another sigh. "We were nothing more than friends… and to tell the truth, that's enough for me now."

Shingen nodded. "That's when you decided to tell your father how you really felt, right?"

"Something like that," she replied. "That's what I was goin' on about that night, that letter I told ya I was havin' a hard time with." She smiled weakly. "Just another thing I was having a hard time dealin' with. I know it's not the same as what you've got on your plate… but… it's just one of those things, I guess…"

"You don't know how your father might take it. What he might say."

"Or what he might do…" She hugged herself for an instant. "But I did a little more thinking after our talk Saturday night, and the fact is… I don't really care anymore. He's in Osaka, we almost never talk, I've got my own life here, my own business… Ran-chan's still my friend… fact is, I don't really care if Dad decides to erase me from the clan scrolls anymore." She paused, then looked up.

"I won't deny I wasn't planning for it to turn out this way, but Akane said it best a moment ago, Shin-kun. Plans change." She reached over and gave him a playful sock in the arm. "You didn't plan for this, I didn't plan for that… so what. That's life."

Shingen raised an eyebrow at her, not saying anything for a moment. For a few seconds, there were no other sounds save that of the rain.

Finally, he smirked. "Did you come out here to try and cheer me up, Ukyo? Because if you did, it might be working just a tad."

"Heh… don't be silly," she replied with a slight nervous chuckle. "I just… needed a little fresh air myself, that's all."

Shingen shrugged. "Well… thanks, anyway." He looked back up. "I am still concerned about what the devil's going on, though… if something big's about to happen, I don't want those two getting blindsided. They're still coming into their power, regardless of how well they fight. I'd rather not see them hurt if I can help it."

"You an' me both," Ukyo replied. "I still can't believe it, though… never occurred to me that Akane would wanna take a risk like this. Or had that kinda potential."

"Stranger things have happened," Shingen replied. "Speaking of which, where'd they go? I can't hear them inside…"

"They went upstairs to visit with that poor sap Mousse. The ol' crone said she wanted to talk with them 'bout something important. Akari's on the phone with her granddad, something about medicine for one of their pet pigs; Ryoga's probably with her."

Shingen nodded, then smiled wryly. "Then Ranma and Akane have both been given their Kisses by now, I'll bet."

Ukyo blinked. "Huh?"

"I may not know much about the Joketsuzoku, but I am familiar with a few of their traditions regarding outsiders," Shingen chuckled. "The Kiss of Death, the Kiss of Marriage… if Cologne is planning what I think she is, they've been given the Kiss of Sister/Brotherhood by now." He shrugged. "I'm only guessing, of course… but that's what she did to me, at least."

Ukyo rolled the thought through her mind for a second, recalled Ranma's history with Amazon kisses and coupled that with the thought of Cologne administering them… and promptly burst out laughing. "Hoboy, Ran-chan, ya never can get away from those damn Amazon lips, can ya?"

"What was that?" Ryoga had poked his head out the doorway and was giving Ukyo a bewildered look.

"Nothing, ask Ranma to explain it to ya," Ukyo shot back, pushing him back inside. Shingen chuckled; Ukyo started giggling again. The rain continued to fall, but at a somewhat lighter pace as the two of them lapsed into a more relaxed conversation. Ukyo began to query Shingen about the training he had done, the things he had seen. Shingen, for his part, asked about the founding of okonomiyaki-style martial arts, voicing a desire to compare the art of halberd and spear fighting to the moves she used with her combat spatula. A few feet away from them, a highly bored sumo pig sat tapping one foot, staring up at the rain and wondering when it would be time for dinner.

Neither of them noticed a rain-dampened kunoichi in an Ucchan's apron, concealed by some bushes and shinobi ki suppression techniques, turn and stealth away with head bowed and tears mixing with the raindrops.

--------------------

In a large house on another side of Nerima, another figure watched the rain through a window, tearstains adorning her cheeks. She sat in a well-furnished bedroom in a chair by the windowpane, one hand idly tracing patterns on the robe she was wearing. She picked at a loose thread peeking out of one of the many embroidered flowers on said robe- roses, all of them. Every one of them black. She sniffed and shivered, her eyes lifting back to the window once again. Her other hand stretched out and limply brushed the glass.

It has been said that a severe shock or mental trauma can send a person into a state of catatonia, even total non-functionality. Some people may take it a step further, slipping into states of denial or constructing their own view of the world where they refuse to deal with the realities facing them. The wearer of the robe had suffered one such shock days before. In her case, more than any others, most people would have expected one such as her- especially one such as her, from her family in particular- to have disintegrated completely into a private world all her own. Possibly with the addition of a straitjacket.

But this had not happened. The disbelieving laughter and occasional utterances of one man's name had ceased. She sat in silence now, looking out the window as if for the first time. Which, in some ways, was true. Kodachi Kuno had not slipped into a world of denial regarding Ranma's transformation and the love/hatred she held for both forms.

Instead, she was waking up from a world of denial she had constructed a long time ago. The shock of his shifting forms and his angry words had been the wake-up call, after a fashion.

She was remembering vague memories of an unhappy childhood. A father constantly preoccupied with ever-changing whims, seemingly a charming man to his peers… but behind closed doors, a stern taskmaster who never graced either child with love or affection. Endless amounts of lessons on social graces, usually more concentrated on her elder brother- a brother who seemed to be the very mirror of her father, but with more specific whims, his being classical literature and the art of kendo. Then more memories, darker ones that had been long hidden away.

Her mother, treated as little more than a serving girl by their father… constantly catering to his fancies when she could, and when she couldn't… She winced as memories of their fights began to ring in her ears. Father's voice never rising, but menacingly heartless.

The sound of his palm impacting against Mother's cheek, time and time again… until the day she left the house in tears. And not of her own accord. Thrown out of the house and the clan by the man she had called husband. Kodachi had only been five or six at the time.

She remembered Tatewaki. Lashing out in anger at Mother's disappearance. Blaming it on whatever he could think of, be it that she had been unable to cater to Father's whims, or that she had 'not known her place'. She shuddered as she recalled her own brother referring to their mother as 'an ungrateful peasant' and her shouting back that it wasn't true. And that's when he had turned on her. Blaming her for making their mother 'soft'. For turning her 'against Father's wishes'. She remembered pushing him away, tears falling from her eyes as she demanded he take it back, beating at him with a cute stuffed turtle- her favorite childhood toy, Midorigame.

She remembered Tatewaki ripping the stuffed toy out of her hands with a cruel sneer before tearing it to pieces in front of her.

She remembered him saying that she ought to be 'punished for striking the heir to Clan Kuno'. She remembered him lifting his kendo shinai…

Fresh tears began to fall as Kodachi slumped forward, hugging herself and running her fingers along her shoulders and sides. Phantom pains, long repressed, seemed to be pricking along her back like wildfire. Pain inflicted by her own brother. Pain that her father did nothing to prevent, preoccupied as he was with another random whim. Pain that she had wanted so desperately to forget…

She wanted to be loved. Wanted so desperately to believe that hers could be a loving family. But without Mother, all there was to be known was pain. And the lessons… the endless lessons. All based on appearances, social elegance. Being 'the best', though for some reason the social grace aspect didn't seem to apply to the head of the household. His area of expertise seemed to focus on getting his own way, whether it be for business or for one of his random whims. He didn't seem to care how he did it, either. Gradually it all began to blur together… the pain, the lessons, getting whatever you want by any means you can…

If that's what life was all about, she had reasoned, that must be what it takes to be loved. And the Black Rose had been born. A means to an end. Graceful, elegant and beautiful, but just as capable of dealing out pain as well- and, now that she was looking back on it, a defense mechanism more than anything else. Kodachi may have been weak and made many mistakes, but the Black Rose was infallible. The perfect noblewoman. Incapable of error in the household or on the gymnastics mat. She would be the ideal. SHE would be the one to inflict pain upon the 'peasants'. And she would be loved.

She bit her lip as an old phrase ran through her mind in the midst of numerous memories- _'fight fire with fire'._

She knew at that point that was exactly what she had done. She had tried so hard to avoid the fate of her mother that she had become the very thing she was afraid of. She did not want to deal with the pain she had suffered, so she bid others suffer in her stead. More memories began to return, more recent ones- memories of Tatewaki calling her 'my most twisted sister'. She shook her head ruefully as she admitted, for the first time in her life, that he was right.

He and her father may have been unbalanced, but she had become so much more so in defense against their madness- or more specifically, their irrational cruelties. If it was fighting fire with fire, then she'd thrown a can of gasoline into the bargain as well.

Kodachi blinked and looked out the window again. Bleary-eyed, she whispered a prayer that maybe it was all one big dream. That her family hadn't been that cruel. That she hadn't been chasing a mad, blind impulse for months now. A feeling was prodding at the back of her mind- a voice telling her that she had known all along that Ranma and the pig-tailed girl were one and the same, and that in her desperation for someone- _anyone_- to love, she had 'conveniently forgotten' and had gone so far as to ignore anything he had said that indicated his dislike for her. She wanted that to be a dream, too. She wanted to be able to open her eyes and tell herself that she hadn't been a blind fool all this time, unable to deal with the demons of her past.

But in her heart of hearts, she knew the truth. It was no dream.

"I… I have played the fool too long," she choked out, wiping her eyes. "I cannot… I cannot do this any longer. How long have I h-hidden myself away from thing because…" She sniffled. "Because of all that I… all that they did…" She took a deep breath and stood up.

"The Black Rose… dies today." And she took hold of her embroidered robe and tore it from shoulder to hem.

--------------------

"I don't believe it. After everything we just went through… now _this?_"

"You're… you're sure you heard right?"

"Crystal clear… I mean, you would've thought we could have found out before…"

"Yeah… and finding out _now,_ of all times…"

"I know," Akari said as she set the Neko Hanten's phone down. "We head all the way out to get medicine for Katsushiro, and then Grandfather happens to remember he had some left over in the back of the storage shed!" She shook her head, and started to giggle.

"So we spent all that time looking for that shop for _nothing?_" Ryoga spluttered.

"Well, sweetie, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," Akari replied, stifling her laughs quickly. "I mean, if we hadn't come out here, you and Ranma wouldn't have been able to catch up- and whatever you say, I _know_ you've been wanting to do that all weekend."

Ryoga started to deny it, stopped, tried to say something else and failed, then sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Well… um… the thought did cross my mind… but I guess I was, well… sorta… afraid I'd get lost again and all…"

"It's okay Ryoga, I know what you mean," said Akari, reaching up and brushing his cheek gently. "I'd actually been hoping we'd have some time to stop and visit myself, and Grandfather said that since he found what we need, we don't have to hurry back if we don't want to." She shrugged, blushing slightly. "Somehow I think it's his way of giving us a little time to ourselves."

Ryoga swallowed hard. "Uh… yeah, I guess… I, uh… heh, heh…" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly; Akari had to stifle a giggle when he put a hand up to his nose and blinked in surprise when he didn't suffer a nosebleed.

"Oh Ryoga, you really can be so silly sometimes."

"Oh, uh… sorry 'bout that, old habit, I guess."

"Still, this is a bit of luck, isn't it?" she continued. "With Grandfather tending Katsushiro, you could probably have your little match with Ranma right now! Then you two could do some more catching up… and then maybe we could go out to dinner as a group or something! Would you like that, sweetie?"

Ryoga goggled for a moment. "Dear, slow down, you're makin' my head spin here." He chuckled slightly, then paused, his face turning serious. "That is a nice thought, I'll admit… and settling our one last fight might be a good idea, but… well…"

"But what?" Akari's face fell slightly.

"Well… you know things are still kinda iffy with them an' me right now," he continued. "After all that I… you know… well, I still get the feeling I'm not incredibly welcome at the moment, after all I did… the duel's one thing, but going out together? I mean…" He swallowed hard. "I made a really big mistake with them, and…"

"And what of it?" said an amused voice.

Ryoga practically jumped out of his skin and spun around. "RANMA! Dammit, don't sneak up on me like that!" he bellowed.

"Hey, sorry man," Ranma replied, hands up in a 'who, me' pose. "We just finished up upstairs, heard the two of ya talkin', sounded like you're coming up with some evening plans."

"Uh… well, something came up… guess we have a little free time on our hands, that's all…" Ryoga sputtered. "Just ideas, really… that maybe we could get that match outta the way…"

"Hey, if you wanna stay for dinner I'm pretty sure we could squeeze in an extra place setting or two," said Ranma with a nod.

Ryoga blinked. "Huh? You… you mean that? You're okay having me over for…"

Akane sidled up to Ranma and nodded as well, then gave Ryoga a wry smirk. "As long as you behave, I think I can convince Kasumi to leave pork-fried rice off the menu tonight."

Ryoga paled. Akari's eyes widened for a moment and she gave Akane a disbelieving look- at which Akane giggled. "I'm just joking, you two! Geez, talk about easy."

"That wasn't that funny, Akane," Akari murmured. An image of Ryoga and one of her prized warrior pigs in a steaming pot was dancing through her head and giving her the shivers.

"Okay, I guess that was a little bit of bad taste," Akane relented. "Sorry, I couldn't resist," she added, throwing a mock-dirty look in Ryoga's direction.

_And you berate ME for teasing the poor sap?_ Ranma murmured in their mind's ear. _Keep it up an' you're gonna send him into a nervous breakdown, Acchan._

Akane smirked. _Don't worry, I'm not gonna go that far… maybe just a little more to make sure he remembers that I won't forget what he did to us._

_You really can be devilish at times, my beautiful tomboy,_ he added with a wink.

Akane threw him a wink of her own. _Handsome baka._

"So anyways," Ryoga was saying, "enough about our plans, what about you two? Somebody said something about an Amazon kiss a moment ago, what was up with that?"

"Amazon kiss?" said Akari. "I didn't hear that, was that while I was on the phone?"

"Oh, uh… that was sorta…" Ranma fidgeted slightly, pressing his fingers together. "Sorta a 'kiss-and-make-up' thing. You know, bad blood aside, water under the bridge an' all that."

"Yeah, just their… way of making amends after everything that happened between us," Akane added in an awkward tone, sharing a quick Astral thought with Ranma. _Better not tell them what just happened; we don't want them making more out of this before we tell our fathers._

_Don't I know it,_ Ranma thought in response. _It may only be honorary, like Cologne said, but those two'll pitch a fit if they hear it from someone 'sides us. Might think the old ghoul was asking us to move out to…_

"So THIS is where you guys have been all this time; do you have any idea how worried Dad is?"

Everybody in the Neko Hanten jumped and turned towards the doorway; standing just inside, umbrella in hand, was Nabiki. "You know that little stunt at the school was on the news a little while ago, right? Of course, they didn't say anything about the freaks from a horror movie cropping up, they were just talking about the gas line rip and structural damage- well, Dad sees this on the news and starts freaking out when I'M the only one who comes home! Now it's all well and good to spend some time in town, Ranma, little sis, but the least you two could've done was call." She paused and looked around the partially wrecked dining room, still bearing some signs of Mousse's ordeal. "Geez, what happened here? I thought you two buried the hatchet with that purple-haired bimbo."

Shingen stepped through the doorway and tapped Nabiki on the shoulder. "That wasn't exactly what happened here, Miss Nabiki," he said. "I was about to explain that when you breezed right past me."

"Sorry, Shingen-kun, but I was kind of in a hurry to make sure my sister and Ranma weren't off on some adventure or something, you never know with those two," Nabiki replied, ignoring the dirty looks Ranma and Akane were giving her. "Besides, I didn't want to interrupt your conversation, looked like you two were having fun."

"It wasn't really a conversation," said Ukyo, stepping into view with a slight flush to her face. "We were just… talking, that's all. Passing time."

Ranma blinked. So did Akane. They looked at each other and a single thought flashed through the Astral between them. _Are they… is that what I…? …No, couldn't be…_

"As I was saying, that was quite a little ruckus at school today, you two," Nabiki was saying. "Can't argue with an excuse to get out of classes, even if the reason _why_ was a little odd… and I got some great footage of you two in action. I know some people who'll pay big bucks for stuff like that… if it's okay with you, that is." She stepped in and whispered to Ranma with a meaningful look in her eyes. "If you say it's okay, I might be inclined to forget the fact that _someone_ pilfered my surveillance system this morning."

Ranma groaned. "Do whatever you want with it, I don't really care. Fact is, Nabiki, we've got a few more important things to deal with right now than whether or not you're selling our faces to the tabloids."

"Actually, I was about to ask you about that," Nabiki replied. "I mean, first it was a gang of oni in the lot yesterday, then those _things_ invade school property… it's like the weirdness got cranked up ever since you got back from China, little bro. Care to explain?"

Akane looked up at Ranma's eyes. _I guess we'd better tell her as well. You know she'll find out anyway…_

Ranma nodded. "Okay, Nabiki… I'm not really so sure I can explain, but I can tell ya what we do know." He heaved a sigh and looked around. "But not here. Let's go home before your old man decides to call the Bureau of Missing Persons on us."

"Now that I can agree on, Saotome," Nabiki replied with a nod.

"Hey sis," Akane piped up, "do you think it'd be too much trouble to have Kasumi set out a few extra plates for dinner tonight?"

"No, why?"

"Ryoga and Akari were thinking of joining us for dinner after he and Ranma have a 'chat' in the dojo."

Nabiki blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, really, oneechan- you don't have to act so surprised. It's not like we didn't clear the air a few days ago, right?" Akane punctuated her sentence with a meaningful look in Ryoga's direction and a quick wink thrown surreptitiously to Nabiki. Ryoga flinched slightly; Nabiki caught the wink and couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh, well… then I guess I'll have to tell Dad to expect a little more company for dinner," she said, flipping open her cellphone. "And speaking of dinner… what _did_ happen in here? I swear, this place looks like one of your attempts at curry detonated in here, Akane." She turned her attention to her cellphone, not noticing Akane's visible flinch.

"Something tells me we'd best clue her in on what really happened in here," Shingen said in a low tone. "This is getting serious."

"My thoughts exactly, man," Ranma replied.

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Notes 11/22/05: Well, it took me a while to get my thoughts in order, and some of this chapter did turn out a bit rushed. I hope the quality hasn't suffered, but I did want to get this installment in before Thanksgiving. I can't believe I've been working on this chronicle for nearly a year… but I promise you, there will be an ending at some point. Just not right now.

Some of you may be asking why I took the direction I did with Kodachi. Well… in truth, while many believe her destiny lies with a rubber room, I did some last minute thinking and decided that was too easy. All the Kuno clan members are delusional- but have you ever noticed how her attitude has always been more psychotic than the others? Perhaps wondered if there were a reason behind it? I'm not the first writer to think this way, probably not the last. But what fate has in store for the Kuno gymnast is yet to be seen. She's still quite ill, make no mistake- but sometimes personal catharsis is the only way to grow. I will admit- I'm not terribly good at angst, IMHO.

One bit of trivia. The name Midorigame- if I remember correctly- is the name of Kodachi's pet alligator. Just food for thought.

Wonderbee31: Yes it would have been powerful, but I kinda like the guy; I didn't have the heart to kill him off like that. As for Big Evil… afraid that'll have to wait a little longer.

Priestess Kohana, The-Shadow002, Martrex, Little Minamino, Dumbledork, Inu-ears, Animefanatik: Thank you all very much.

Dragon Man 180: Interesting speculation on the introduction of good spirits. Whether that may happen will be decided in future chapters. Ryoga and Ukyo's involvement will be dealt with in future as well.

JWG: As far as idea cooking, I've had too many other distractions to deal with anything new outside of this chronicle. I do have ideas, but they take a really long time to flesh out. Thanks for the compliment, though. I'll try to flesh out more things with the demons as time goes by, and I'm glad you liked the suspense. No, my last name isn't Grisham.

Taro MD: Haven't had time to check out your crossover yet, too many other things going. I will soon though. Thanks for your support.

Bando-Eido no Megami-sama: As for realizing something's going on, that has begun to happen bit by bit. Reactions to their heritage will be varied, though how varied I'm not going to tell you. A few reactions have been played out so far- some more than others, I'll admit- and there are more to come. I had intended to get back to Genma's rehabilitation; that will crop up in a future installment. With him it isn't just about punishment, it's about one last chance at redemption. He may have been an SOB, but he had his moments. About two or three, but he did have moments.

Silver Warrior: Well, the ramifications of his resuscitation have begun to play out- as for the full details, more on that later.

Everyone, thanks again for your support. I'll be taking a bit of a break over Thanksgiving, but hopefully I'll have a new chapter written in time for Christmas. Keep those reviews coming- I glean inspiration from some, and incentive from all of them. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	32. Growing and Learning

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own 'em, I'm just borrowing them until Nabiki starts charging me late fees. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 32: Growing and Learning

--------------------

A pair of bleary eyes blinked twice, shaking off remnants of a sleep that the owner of the eyes had not enjoyed in the least. The eyes had grown red-rimmed, not from dust or pollen, but from a steady stream of tears that the owner's dreams had elicited. The tears had stopped, but the feeling behind them lingered on. The eyes shifted to the right as their owner struggled upward, taking in the room he was in- the furniture, the ornamentations long forgotten when the eyes' owner took leave of said room eleven years previously.

Genma was not happy. He could tell something had happened in the room; the faint scent of incense still pervaded the air about him, though the burner had grown cold. He could remember occasional incidents in his own training, years prior, when Happosai would use bizarre incenses and ritual tools to accomplish a specific purpose- usually resulting in him and Soun being roped into another panty raid or tied up and kept away from the food the Grandmaster wanted to eat. It wasn't a scent he recognized, but with what he had encountered he was fairly sure it had something to do with the dreams he had had.

That wasn't what made him unhappy, however. It was the dream itself, and the images it had brought back. His own training as a younger man, and the sometimes barbaric things his diminutive sensei had done to him and his best friend. Things he had pushed to the back of his mind, hoping to never remember again- and then feeling them claw at him once more as he saw himself doing the exact same thing to his own son.

He had tried to dredge up his oldest defenses- that a martial artist's life was one of trial and discipline, that it was all for the sake of the Art, that Ranma would never be the warrior he was today were it not for him. And every time he did so, each excuse rang hollow in his ears. For the first time in his life he saw, in his dreams, everything he had ever done reflected back on him, every scam, every training technique, every little excuse he had used in his life. And it was repulsing him. It was something he had not wanted to see… but at the same time, he could not deny that it was something he should have seen.

He looked at a cupboard nearby that had a small arrangement on top- a series of framed photos. Finding his glasses lying next to him, he put them on and shuffled over to get a closer look.

There was a photo of him and Nodoka when they had first married. He wore the same gi back then, too- but much cleaner. He was slimmer, too, and still had a shock of jet-black hair sticking out from under his bandanna. He bit his lower lip and absently prodded his bulging belly, remembering a vision from the dream that had cast him in the image of a pig in a kimono, yanking food away from not just Ranma, but the rest of the Tendo family.

_And Happosai was standing behind me and cheering me on,_ Genma thought to himself with a shiver before looking at the next photo.

There he was, a proud grin on his face, holding his infant son in his arms with Nodoka looking on warmly. The light in the room was dim, but he could clearly see something on Ranma's face that he hadn't seen very much of in recent times. An innocent, loving smile.

He blinked hard and looked at the next pictures in rapid succession. Him with Ranma on his shoulders, walking through a neighborhood park… Nodoka folding an origami crane while Ranma sat in her lap, enthralled… the three of them together on a family picnic, with Genma holding the camera at arm's length and sporting a cheesy grin…

He stared at the pictures for the longest time and wondered what it was that had made him throw it all away. A fresh tear lingered at the corner of one eye.

"Was there… was there really a time when the Art wasn't everything?" he whispered softly. "When it was just the three of us?"

For a brief moment he could almost hear the voice of the Grandmaster chiding him, telling him to stop being soft. Then more memories, pearls of wisdom from the perverted sensei's lessons on a man's place in the world. Lessons he had taken to heart far more easily than Soun ever had… if only to earn a small bit of favor and avoid the Master's wrath.

_Avoid his wrath?_ He gripped the photograph in his hands tighter. _Is… is that why I left my family behind? Was I so afraid of that pint-sized pervert's whims and disciplines that I just… pushed my family away?_

He paused, then sighed. _No… there's more to it than that… I just… I wanted to be the best, but… I couldn't take doing it the hard way. I never could… sure, I can put up a good front when I want to, but I couldn't take any more of that old man's treatment. I couldn't last long enough as his student to reach his level and best him fairly, that's why me and Tendo buried his sorry ass and ran off… just like I ran off from every other problem I got myself into._

_They're right. I'm a fool… an old, fat, fool. No… worse than that, I'm a damned hypocrite. Gods, why the hell didn't I see it? Putting my own son through training even worse than what I suffered at the old goat's hands? Using him as a pawn instead of doing the work myself? Did I…_

_Did I take the Master's lessons that seriously? So much that it… that it turned into second nature…_

His eyes shut and his head hung low. "Kami, I've been such an idiot," he moaned. "When am I going to learn that taking the easy way isn't always the best way." He shook his head and winced slightly, putting one hand up to the spot on his jaw where Ranma had knocked a few of his back teeth out. The wounds had closed thanks to Ranma's post-match ministrations, but that hadn't eliminated all the pain. It throbbed along his face in dull pulses, echoing similar sentiments in his heart at that moment. The typical self-serving impulses that usually guided him in situations like this were being beaten to a pulp by the impulses that had been awakened- or more appropriately, re-awakened- by the previous day's duel and his dreams.

_I've wrecked everything. I couldn't deal with staying in one place to train the boy, so I used one of Happosai's excuses about the coddling nature of women to get away from the house… couldn't face manual labor or honest work, so I took another page from his book… good gods, I pushed the boy into everything just hoping HE could be the one to take that damned Happy off my back instead of me! I never thought that barrel would keep him sealed forever… but I couldn't face that fact and wound up… I wound up turning my boy into my own free ride… abandoning my wife on the pretext of training, just so she wouldn't slow us down…_

A few more tears worked their way loose from his eyes. "I threw away my family."

Footsteps echoed in the hall just outside the door. A moment later the bedroom door slid open and the light was turned on.

"I thought you might be awake now, Genma." Nodoka's voice was wavering, an undercurrent of sadness beneath a veneer of iron. "I was just on the phone with Kasumi; apparently something happened at school today and the children got sent home early. She's invited us over for dinner; if you're feeling up to it I think we should go. There are some things you need to discuss with Ranma."

Genma didn't say anything, but shut his eyes and nodded.

"How are you feeling? You've been asleep most of the day, you know." Her tone was stern, but not cold.

Another moment of silence. Genma's eyes remained shut; his fists clenched the fabric of his gi pants.

"Genma, I'd appreciate it if you'd say something, you've had more than enough time to ponder the events of…"

"Dear," Genma began in a low, morose tone, "I know that… something happened while I was asleep. Something that made me have… strange dreams…"

Nodoka nodded slightly, her expression serious. "I thought you might have thought that when you awoke…"

"Those dreams… they weren't just dreams…" He let go of his pants and turned towards her slightly, head bowed in a penitent position. "No-chan… what would you have of me?"

Nodoka blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"You were right… to do what you did; I don't deserve the school anymore… and I've done so many stupid, _stupid_ things in my time, at the expense of our son… at the expense of us… our family…" He began to tremble ever so slightly. _I can't run away any longer; if I do that, I really am nothing more than a worthless panda…_ "I won't deny I didn't want to dream what I did… but if I hadn't, then… I don't know… oh Kami, I've never felt this way before…" His voice was beginning to crack. "I'll do whatever you want me to, whatever it takes… and if that m-means c-carrying out the c-contract… then… I'll d-do it." Genma shuddered at the thought for a brief moment; he'd never been fond of the seppuku pledge and had always wanted to be as far from it as possible, but after the hell he'd been through in his dreams and in the match with his son, it was beginning to feel inevitable. _And after everything I've done, I probably deserve it… some father I was… much less a husband…_

A long moment of silence passed; Genma's hands stayed planted on his knees, his head bowed and eyes shut as he waited for Nodoka to say something- harsh words, stern words, any words at all. He fully expected her to lash out at the foolish things he'd done to their son, especially the Neko-Ken. He expected to get slapped across the head or face, or feel a tanto being pressed into his hand before she took up position as his second, katana at the ready.

What he did not expect was to feel her hand gently lift his chin up. He opened his eyes and saw hers, the steely look fading into a softer one.

"You're right. You have done some _very_ stupid things in your life, Genma," she said with a sudden severe look that made him wince. "Monumentally stupid, even… so much that I was beginning to think you'd forgotten who you used to be. I was beginning to think you'd become more like that horrid old Master of yours than the man I fell in love with." She paused, and her face softened again.

"I was afraid you wouldn't be able to see that for yourself. Or be able to admit it if you did see it." She reached up and brushed his cheekbone gently. "You just admitted it, and not just to me. To yourself." A tear of her own escaped her eye.

"That's what the Genma I remember would do."

She leaned forward and pulled him into a gentle embrace, which he readily accepted. New tears began forming at the corners of his eyes, which were clenched tight against the sudden onslaught of emotion he was experiencing. Slight hope, small relief, and no small amount of feeling incredibly unworthy surged through his brain as he clung to Nodoka almost desperately. "I'm so sorry, No-chan…" he mumbled into her shoulder.

"I know," she replied quietly. "I am still _very_ upset with you, Genma."

"I know."

"You know you will have to make amends with more than just our son."

"I know."

There was a pause. "Will you be fit to go to the Tendos' tonight? I know at least Soun will be happy to see you."

"I will be, No-chan… just give me a little while."

--------------------

There were certain things that Ranma Saotome had seldom, if ever, seen in his life, and often had never expected to see. A number of such things had, of course, occurred over the past two weeks, often prompting him to mutter, _'now I've seen everything'_. The Hell Hound incident at the school was not such an occurrence; after the incidents over the past year they had hardly fazed him. However, three separate occurrences over the course of the afternoon were now firmly lodged in his 'I didn't expect that' section of his brain. One being the incident with Mousse, the other being the Kiss of Brotherhood he had received.

The third incident had taken place on the trip home to the dojo. Nabiki being rendered completely speechless.

"Sis, are you okay?" Akane asked, prodding Nabiki's elbow. "Look, I know it's a lot to take in right now, I wasn't expecting this either, you know…" She trailed off and sighed. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell her everything all at once."

"Hey, Shin was right, we had to fill her in on this, didn't we?" said Ranma as he shifted his position, giving Akane and Nabiki a bit more cover with the umbrella. "And it's not like you an' I weren't thrown by this, ya know."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to hit her with all that info at Mach 2, dummy!" she replied, swatting his shoulder. "For all we know, her brain's still trying to sort it all out; I could barely understand you myself!"

"Heh, with a mouth that big you know he couldn't help it, Akane," Ryoga drawled with a smug grin. He was walking just behind them with his own umbrella open and Akari next to him. Katsunishiki lumbered behind them; Shingen ambled along beside Ranma, not bothering with an umbrella. Ukyo was not there, having parted ways with the others at the Neko Hanten to go tend to her own restaurant. "Isn't that what helped you win that martial arts eating contest anyways? That big mouth of yours?"

"Sweetie, stop teasing him," Akari chided playfully.

"Eh, so I got carried away a little, but we gotta get home before Mr. Tendo outcries the rain clouds, right? So the faster we tell her, the better?"

"That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, Ranma," Akane sighed, rolling her eyes. "But you're right, we'd best get home before Dad starts to pitch a real fit."

"I won't argue with that," Shingen added. "I've got some work of my own to do; with a Tengu on the loose it'll be prudent to fortify some of the warding I put up around the estate. I put some protective wards in place after the first imp incident in the dojo, and those are going to need strengthening."

"Whatever you say, man, so long as it means less headaches all around," Ranma replied. The taller man nodded and began to jog, and it wasn't long before the others picked up the pace to keep up with him.

Akane looked at Ranma and smirked slightly. _I noticed when you started telling Nabiki about our bloodlines, you left out telling her about Astral Links. Care to explain?_

Ranma turned his head to look at her, returning the smirk. _Easy. If she knew we could talk mind-to-mind with each other or with Shingen, she'd figure out how you managed to win that pool on how fast I could beat Pops. An' I am in no mood to face her wrath if she DOES find out…_ He chuckled. Akane blinked, then giggled.

Nabiki, for her own part, was processing information at blazing speed. She had finally finished processing the situation with Mousse, the fact that he had nearly gotten killed, and had moved on to other things. _I don't believe it. Saotome and my little sister, they both have this… this bloodline thing that… but how? BOTH of them? Bona fide Demon Hunters? Well, I guess that does explain a few things, like Ranma's penchant for getting trouble to find him, but still… how is it I was completely unaware of this?_ She paused and frowned. _Then again… I didn't really know about Ryoga's little porcine problem until a short while ago, either, but this is different! This is a FAMILY thing! MY family!_ She glanced up, noting the blue wakizashi clutched in Akane's hand next to her book bag. _Ranma said something about Sagara and Saito… that this came from our mother's side of the family… does this mean I might be part of this, too? Or Kasumi? And what happens now, are we gonna get dragged into this as well? I can't fight, and neither can Kasumi… _

She paused again, a calculating look crossing her face. _Then again… Akane did say something about this being voluntary, choosing to accept or repress her power. So I might not have to get roped into this, especially considering that I DON'T want to. Guess that means Akane really is the dojo's heir, in more ways than one. She sure as hell better not get herself hurt over this, or Kami help me, I'll…_ A sudden thought hit her. _Wait a moment. If Mom really was descended from a Hunter, then that means our family has ties to other Hunter clans… maybe even legacies left in their names, unclaimed or set aside. Great Kami… we could be the heirs to a hidden fortune, if that wad of cash Shin-kun carries around says anything about a Hunter's financial situation… he may not have named a source, but they've got to be funded somehow…_

A grin spread across her face; one could almost hear the sound of cash registers going off in her mind.

"Hey, sis? Are you okay?"

Nabiki blinked. "Hm? What? Yeah I'm fine, Akane, why do you ask?"

"You had this goofy look on your face for a moment, and I know we just dropped this bombshell on you and all…"

"Oh, that," Nabiki replied, blowing out a derisive puff of air. "Yeah, that was a bit much at once, Akane, but I'm fine now. Don't you worry about me." She shrugged, then turned to look at Akane more seriously. The cash register in her head stopped ringing, replaced by her seldom-used 'big sister' mode. "You know, you could have told me about this after that oni fight, it might've explained things a little quicker if you had."

"Well… Nabiki, we were still trying to work out how to break it to you and Kasumi, and also how to do it without turning Dad into a complete wreck," Akane replied awkwardly. "And… well… I wasn't so sure I wanted to tell you just yet… besides, we had to deal with Ranma's situation with his mom, so…"

"Yeah, I know we had to deal with a bunch of things, but you still could've told me!" Nabiki replied. "C'mon, something like this happens to you and you don't tell your big sister? All else aside, I do care about your well-being, Akane; if you're gonna get involved with something dangerous like this, the least you could do is tell us."

Akane flushed and looked at her feet. "I just… I didn't want you to worry…"

"C'mon, Nabiki, give her a break," said Ranma. "Fact is, we kinda had to deal with it ourselves before dumping it on someone else ta deal with. Least we told ya about it at all; better late than never, right?"

Nabiki paused, then nodded resignedly. "Okay, you're right about that, Ranma… but like I said, I do care about my kid sister, so if she's getting mixed up in something like this you'd better make DAMN sure she doesn't get blindsided by something. We've been through a whole lot this past year because of oddball garbage thrown at the two of you, and if she winds up getting hurt- or worse- because of this bloodline thing…"

Ranma sighed. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it, 'kane?"

"Seems like everyone's telling us the same thing," Akane replied with a groan. "Oneechan, I told you, _don't worry_. We've talked about this a lot ever since we found out; hell, this is why we've been training so hard in the first place. I know what I'm doing; I'll be okay." She paused, then poked Ranma in the ribs. "Besides, I've got this dummy watching my back, right?"

Nabiki smirked. "Hm. You do have a good point, sister mine." _And to think a month ago you would've griped about him watching your back, bragging that you could 'take care of yourself'…_

"Glad to be of service," said Ranma in a mock-irritated tone.

"Okay, okay… I guess I'll have to trust your instinct for the moment," Nabiki continued. "Of course, if you ask my opinion, you'd best not tell Dad about this for a while longer. Better give him a chance to calm down over the incident at school; that way when he does hear about it, he'll be less likely to have an apoplectic fit."

"Better not delay it too long, though; the longer you put it aside, the more it might hurt when he does find out," Shingen mused. "Right?" The others nodded; Ryoga sported an incredibly sheepish look and wondered if Shingen was making another dig at the P-chan fiasco.

"So, uh… how much longer till we get there, anyways?" the Lost Boy said at length. "Don't forget, you promised me one last fair fight, Ranma."

"Geez, man, you've visited here enough times you think you'd recognize things by now," Ranma replied, rolling his eyes.

"Shut up!" Ryoga barked heatedly. "You don't have to remind me my direction skills suck, you know! I can't help it if I keep getting the street signs around here mixed up!"

--------------------

Three blocks later, they were at the Tendo estate, confronted by a very panicky Soun Tendo. He practically bowled over Shingen and Nabiki as he hugged Akane, crying out his thanks that his 'baby girl' hadn't gotten hurt in the accident at school and drenching those in the near vicinity with a fresh geyser of tears. Nabiki gave him a half-lidded glare and told him to stop embarrassing her, at which point his emotion switched directions as he started berating Akane and Ranma for not making it home sooner. More tears flowed as he wailed about them having no concern for his feelings, begging them to call if something was going to happen, and generally badgering Ranma over _'making sure your fiancée is safe and sound!'_

One wave of tears wound up catching Ryoga across the face; he had flinched reflexively, expecting the change to happen, only to blink and slap himself on the forehead when he didn't transform. _That's right,_ he thought. _I don't change with water anymore, not after that Purge thing… well, not unless I want to._ He shook his head and exchanged his own awkward hellos as he stepped inside; Soun, who was being talked out of his distressed state by a flustered Akane, didn't pay him much attention. Kasumi gave him a somewhat stern look just inside the front hall, but it soon faded into her usual genteel smile as Akari, Nabiki and Shingen followed suit.

Per mutual consensus, nobody told Soun about what had happened at the Neko Hanten; they had all agreed that even if he wasn't best of friends with Mousse, he wouldn't take what had happened to him very well at all.

"Refresh my memory; is he always like that?" Ryoga whispered as he and Ranma made their way past the front hall.

"Depends, man, but I've only been here a year, I'm no expert," Ranma replied. "Akane told me he wasn't always that way, but after… y'know, Mrs. Tendo passed on…"

"Oh, yeah," said Ryoga, scratching the back of his head. "That must've been rough…" He paused, then shook himself slightly. "So, shall we get this over with? Or do you need another day or five to get ready?" he said with some of his old bravado.

"Yeah, yeah, just gimme a second to get changed and I'll meet you out in the training hall," said Ranma before turning and darting upstairs to his room.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Ryoga smiled broadly and straightened his bandanna… and then looked around somewhat sheepishly. "Um… which way was the training hall again?"

"Allow me," Nabiki piped up as she took hold of Ryoga's arm and led him, not unlike a child, through the side doorway and out to the training hall. Akari followed suit; once inside, she took a seat near the door as Ryoga began stretching and limbering up, concentration and determination etched onto his face.

_One last match. After this, no more revenge fighting. No more death threats, just one shot to see how well I stack up against you, Ranma._ Ryoga grinned and flexed his arms. _You spent a weekend training, huh? Well, you're not the only one; all those wrestling matches I've been having with Akari's stable really did a number on me. I haven't felt this good in MONTHS!_ He jumped up and down a few times, shaking out his elbows and knees to get all the kinks out, then took a series of deep breaths. _Time to see how good you really are, Ranma. No tricks, no ki techniques. Just you and me._

A few minutes later, Nabiki had just finished setting up her camera at the edge of the dojo- complete with tripod- when Ranma slid the door open and stepped inside. He had changed into his red vest and black forearm guards, and a fresh set of black pants.

"Took you long enough," said Ryoga in a teasing tone. "You ready to face the music?"

"Keh. I was born ready," Ranma shot back, flipping his bangs out of his eyes. "Remember, bacon breath, no ki attacks and no weapons. Skill against skill alone."

"I got no problem with that," Ryoga replied, removing his backpack, umbrella, belt sword and all of his spare bandannas and laying them to the side in a heap. He cracked his knuckles and slipped into a ready stance.

"Be careful, sweetheart," said Akari from the sidelines.

"Don't worry about me, I can take whatever he can dish out," said Ryoga with a laugh. He looked up again, then paused. "Think we oughta wait for a bigger audience?"

"I think this is 'bout as good as we're gonna get," Ranma replied. "Mr. Tendo didn't seem as interested as I thought he'd be, said something about needing to catch up on the news and 'seen it all before', dunno what that meant. An' Akane said she needed to talk to Kasumi about something or other, wouldn't tell me what it was."

"Needing to talk to Kasumi?" Nabiki mused. "Wonder what that's about?"

"Dunno, but she did say it had ta do with something ya said a while back, Nabiki."

"Something _I_ said?"

"That's what she told me."

"Could we have this discussion _later?_" Ryoga grumbled. "Are you gonna fight me or not, Ranma?"

"Oh, yeah… we do have that to attend to." Ranma turned back to Ryoga and smirked. "You want some, come get some," he drawled, raising his hand and making a 'come here' motion with his fingers. And an instant later, that's exactly what Ryoga did.

The two sprang at each other and met at the center of the dojo, Ryoga aiming at Ranma's head with a high kick. Ranma blocked the kick and ducked in low, peppering Ryoga with a series of quick jabs to the stomach and chest that sent the Lost Boy stumbling backwards. Ryoga laughed and lunged forward again, delivering a set of lightning strikes of his own which Ranma quickly countered, and the two traded punches and blocks for ten seconds straight before Ryoga dropped, spun and drove his left elbow into Ranma's gut. The strike grazed Ranma's flank as the pig-tailed boy spun to avoid it; as he spun, he took a quick step and hopped into the air, flipping over Ryoga and catching his head in a leg scissors which quickly turned into a take-down grapple that sent Ryoga tumbling across the dojo.

Ryoga planted his left hand and pushed himself into the air, spiraling towards Ranma who was in turn moving to intercept him. Ryoga lashed out with what looked like a double axe-handle blow, which Ranma moved to block- but a blink of the eye later, and Ryoga had kicked out with his right foot instead, intending to smash Ranma across the ribs. Or it would have, if Ranma hadn't corrected his block in the nick of time, instead catching Ryoga's ankle and pulling the Lost Boy off balance again. He tumbled about two meters before halting and jumping into a crouch, where he was promptly assaulted by a flurry of punches and kicks that was only a few steps away from being a bona fide Amaguriken; Ryoga couldn't block the attacks in time and took three punches to the shoulder and chest, a kick to the upper thigh and a spinning backfist to the cheekbone. The two fighters sprang apart to catch their breath; Ryoga shook his head briefly and flashed Ranma a cocky smirk.

"You're better," he breathed. "You've gotten faster than you used to be, Ranma."

"Looks like you're no slouch either, buddy," Ranma replied with an identical smirk. "I can tell, yer a little stronger… and tougher, too. You been practicing that Bakusai Tenketsu training again?"

"No, just a weekend of sparring with Akari's champions and odd jobs around the farm," Ryoga drawled. "Twelve hours a day."

Ranma arched an eyebrow. "Twelve hours?" He whistled. "Not bad, not bad at all… so why dontcha show me how much ya learned from that training and fight me for real!"

"WHAT did you say?"

"You heard me, stop tryin' to graze me with all those slow hits o' yours and gimme a REAL fight!"

"Okay, Ranma, that's it! You're gonna get it now!" Ryoga bared his fangs and charged, jumping up at the last second and kicking Ranma three times in midair; the first two kicks were blocked, but the third caught Ranma just across the chin, giving Ryoga a momentary opening. His fists shot out, smacking into Ranma's right flank once before Ranma retaliated, and the two lapsed into another series of punch-kick-block exchanges that one might have seen in any of the _Matrix_ movies. Only in this case, it was hard to tell which one would be Neo and which would be Smith; the action was so frenzied that Nabiki was having a hard time keeping up with her camera and Akari could do nothing but watch in awe. The rapid-fire punches soon gave way to Ryoga snaring Ranma's arm and pulling him into an overhead throw, slamming him onto the hardwood floor. Ranma responded by executing an unfazed kip-up and snap-kicking Ryoga in the sternum and chin almost simultaneously, launching him into the wall of the dojo. Ryoga recovered easily and re-entered the fray with a spinning roundhouse which Ranma blocked and pushed away; quickly he reversed it, spun low in the opposite direction and cracked Ranma across the shin with a reverse roundhouse. Ranma winced but instead of stumbling, moved his leg with the motion of Ryoga's kick, spinning in a complete circle and cracking Ryoga across the face with a roundhouse kick of his own. Ryoga tumbled across the floor again, lurched up and barreled towards Ranma once more, who was already pulling into his defensive loose stance…

--------------------

_Sounds like they're really giving it to each other outside,_ Akane mused to herself as the sounds of the duel wafted down the hall. Part of her wanted to head out to the training hall and watch the fight, if for no other reason than to see her man… _not like I can really deny it any more, he's MINE,_ she thought… beat the ever loving snot out of Ryoga. The whole P-chan thing was still a slight sore spot with her, despite the fact that she had more or less accepted Ryoga's apology, and she and Ranma both knew it'd take a while for her to forgive Ryoga completely.

_He is a nice guy at heart, I guess,_ she thought as she made her way down the hall. _But he should have told me. He should've come clean… and he shouldn't have used that damn oath Ranma swore against the two of us. Gods, it would be so nice just to watch him getting what he…_

She shook her head. "No, I can't think like that," she said softly to herself. "I accepted his apology, I already hurt him enough that day I found out… I can't keep going around holding grudges all the time. I do that, and I'm right back to the way I treated… the way I treated Ranma…" She sighed and listened to the sound of the fight a few seconds longer before squaring her shoulders and walking in the opposite direction.

_Still, it would be nice to watch and at least be supportive of Ranma… on top of that, he really is hot when he's in a fight, especially with those legs and that…_ She shook her head, ridding herself of sudden naughty thoughts. _No, I can't afford to get distracted. I need to do this. This is important… not just for him, but me as well._

A moment later, she was at her destination. She took a deep breath, bit her lip and stepped through the door on her left. "Kasumi? Can I come in?"

Kasumi looked up from the counter where she was cutting carrots. "Oh, Akane! Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing's the matter, nothing at…" She trailed off, then looked at the floor and sighed. "Well… actually, yes, something is the matter. A big something."

"What is it, little sister?" asked Kasumi as she set the knife down and crossed the kitchen floor. "Is it about what happened at school today? You didn't get hurt and not tell Father about it, did you?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Akane replied. "It's just… well…"

"What is it? Come on, you can tell me." She paused, then looked at Akane sternly. "You aren't fighting with Ranma again, are you?"

Akane's eyes remained locked on the floor. "It's not that, either. It's just that…" She sighed again. "Nabiki said something earlier this afternoon, and I, well… I guess I didn't take it too well. I didn't say anything on the way home… didn't want anyone to think it mattered to me that much…"

"Nabiki?" Kasumi sighed. "I thought we'd reached an agreement; she _told_ me after your wedding fell apart that she was going to try and not hurt you or Ranma carelessly anymore…"

"She didn't really hurt me, oneechan," said Akane glumly. "She just sort of… reinforced something I guess I knew all along, but had a really hard time accepting. But… with the way things are going these days, it's something I guess I had to face sooner or later. And if I'm going to do that… I need you to help me."

Kasumi blinked. "Help you? What do you need me to help you with, Akane?"

Akane heaved one final sigh before looking up. "I… I need you to teach me how to cook, Kasumi."

Kasumi blinked, a very un-Kasumi-like sweatdrop trickling down the back of her head. "Teach you how to…" she started, fresh memories of Akane's previous attempts at cooking springing into her mind. It was certainly a valid request, but one that secretly chilled her to the bone; the kitchen was Kasumi's sanctuary, and she privately dreaded every time that Akane made an effort to prove that she wasn't _all_ tomboy. Adding too many fancy ingredients, not cooking things the way they were meant to be- trying to hard-boil eggs in the microwave came to mind very easily- the list was exhaustive, and try as she might, Kasumi was unable to completely maintain her calm demeanor under the barrage of the memories. "Akane, are you really sure you want to do that right now? I've already started preparing dinner as is, we can't just start over…"

"Oneechan, you don't have to start over; I promise, all I want to do right now is watch," Akane replied quickly, hanging her head. "I swear. I don't want to interfere with how you do it, I know I'm a terrible cook… probably the worst in Tokyo…"

"Oh, come now Akane, just because you're a little… rough around the edges, that doesn't mean…"

"Sis, you don't have to sugarcoat it, you know how lousy I am, Dad knows it, hell, Ranma _definitely_ knows it…" Akane shook her head and trembled ever so slightly. "And the simple truth is, I'm tired of lying to myself. Nabiki mentioned offhand something about my cooking earlier, and it got me thinking. What with everything that's going on right now…" She looked up. "I'm not trying to do this to prove something. I'm doing this because I want to do something nice for Ranma for a change, and besides, all I can really do effectively right now is boil water; when we _do_ get married I don't want us to live off instant ramen all the time. I just… I wanna do something right, and I really need you to help me!"

Kasumi blinked again, images of Akane the Kitchen Destroyer vanishing from her mind, replaced by a sudden feeling of compassion for her baby sister. _My goodness… she really is serious about this,_ she thought. _She never asked for help before, she always barreled ahead on her own in some sort of attempt to prove herself, usually against one of the other girls. But now she wants to learn for Ranma's sake and hers as well? This is a side of Akane I haven't seen very often…_

She looked up at the girl in front of her who was currently sporting an ashamed look, and smiled sympathetically. "Akane… it takes an awful lot to admit when you need help in something, especially knowing you the way I do," she said gently. "And I think it's very nice that you're doing this for the reason you said. I'm very proud of you, imotochan." She stepped closer and gave Akane a warm hug before taking her by the hand and leading her further into the kitchen. "And I'll be glad to help you the best I can, and I'm sure Auntie Saotome wouldn't mind if you ask her once in a while." _I only hope what I have to say sticks,_ she thought to herself with a slight air of concern. _She tried to learn before, and it's never worked out well…_

"Thanks Kasumi, this really means a lot to me," said Akane happily. "I've been browsing through Mother's old recipe book, but it hasn't been helping me that much."

"Well, you can't learn everything just from reading, Akane," Kasumi replied, retrieving her cutting knife. "Now watch and learn. There's no need to be forceful when preparing a meal, it's not like a challenge or a sparring match. You have to use a gentle touch." She demonstrated as she cut the carrot beneath her into neat, tidy pieces with quick, easy cuts of the blade. "Of course, you can't just learn that touch overnight; it's taken me years of practice. See, you have to treat the knife more like a conductor's baton or a paintbrush, not like a hammer or a sword."

Akane nodded with a slight blush, remembering a cutting board that she'd splintered because she'd chopped the vegetables a little too… ferociously. "Gentle touch, don't be forceful… I'll try to remember that. Guess I let my frustrations get the better of me now and then."

"Well, that's the other thing to think about. Patience is key, Akane, you can't rush everything all at once. You need to take it one step at a time, and allow yourself plenty of time as well." She finished slicing the carrot and moved on to a daikon radish. "Also, it's best to follow the recipe exactly as it's intended, and not try to spice it up or make it taste better- especially if you haven't tasted it yourself. You need to master the basics before making changes or additions- and I know you've had a little difficulty in that area."

Akane nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, I get carried away… and that rushing thing is probably why I keep misreading labels…" Her shoulders slumped and she let out a heavy sigh. "It's just that you make it look so easy, Kasumi, I can't help it sometimes!"

Kasumi smirked. "That's only because I've been doing it so long, it's like second nature to me. Just like martial arts is second nature to you and Ranma. Right?"

Akane paused, then nodded slowly with a small smile. "Right."

"Now, let me show you what I'm doing here. We're having vegetable stir-fry tonight, so what I'll need to do next is…"

--------------------

About an hour later, Akane emerged from the kitchen, her mind spinning with a list of things she needed to _stop_ doing the next time she attempted to cook. _Don't rush things. Don't try to change a recipe unless you've mastered it. Don't get distracted and let something burn or boil over. Don't put something in unless you've read the label first. Don't look at cooking as a challenge, but an expression of how much you care for the people eating it… geez, Kasumi sure has a long list of 'don'ts' for cooking!_ She shook her head and nodded to herself. _Still, it's a start… I just hope to Kami I can remember everything when I do try something myself!_

She stepped out onto the back porch of the house, past her father whose nose was buried in the newspaper. The rain had finally stopped, and a few faint rays of the late afternoon sun were beginning to peek through the clouds. The sound of Ranma and Ryoga's duel in the dojo continued to echo through the backyard, and from what she could hear they were both giving out as good as they got. Every once in a while, the training hall would visibly tremble as one fighter presumably got hurled into a wall by the other.

"Sure sounds like they're having fun," she quipped, folding her arms.

"That depends on what your definition of fun is, I guess," said a voice directly behind her.

A few weeks prior, Akane would have jumped out of her skin from the suddenness of the voice and the voice's owner's proximity to her. As it was, that reaction didn't occur, for she wasn't quite the same Akane she used to be. Her training in aura sensing was still rough at best, but the weekend's exercises had honed her to the point where her only reaction to the person behind her was a bemused smirk. "Were you trying to sneak up on me, Shingen? Some sort of test?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, turning to face the tall man behind her.

"The thought had occurred to me, but no, actually I wasn't," Shingen replied as he knelt on the porch and pressed a paper ward onto the still-damp timber. He quickly made a series of five hand motions and muttered something that Akane couldn't quite make out. "You just happened to be standing next to my next warding point, that's all." Another hand motion and the ward glowed bright blue for a second, then incinerated before their eyes. A residual ward glyph glowed on the wood for an instant, then faded as well.

"So what exactly is that supposed to do?" Akane asked. "I thought you'd already scattered these things around the estate once."

"That was for the Spirit Purge, to keep demonic energy from escaping," Shingen replied, straightening up. "These are another type of Shielding ward, to keep demons out of here. Once I've finished, they should last fairly long- at least until something more permanent can be made ready."

"Permanent?"

"Technically, this is a Hunter estate now," said Shingen in a low voice as he removed another paper ward from his jacket, moving out of Soun's earshot. "Once you two have fully realized your powers, it would be best if the house was protected at all times from demonic threats. The barrier I've been setting will work for now, at least until Father and Reika can help me install a stronger one. It'll keep you or your families from being targeted by more than just imps. Or Hell Hounds, for that matter."

Akane paled slightly. "Or that Tengu that got away earlier…" She looked up. "Are we in danger right now?"

"I don't know. It isn't that often a Hunter estate is targeted by a large-scale power, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Just then a resounding crash echoed from the training hall, followed by a pair of groans. Shingen adjusted his bandanna and raised an eyebrow. "Something tells me those two might be on the verge of resolving their little duel."

Akane nodded, pushing the thought of being targeted out of her mind for the time being. _If anything happens, then it happens… no different from all the other kooks that show up on our doorstep from time to time._ She shook her head and flipped her bangs out of her eyes. "Might as well go and make sure those two aren't trying to kill each other," she said with a laugh before jogging over to the training hall's door. Shingen followed, catching up to her just as she opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the sight within.

"Hey, what's the hold-up?" Shingen asked.

"I don't believe it…" Akane murmured, wide-eyed. Shingen was about to inquire what she was talking about, when he was interrupted by a pair of groans.

--------------------

Ryoga and Ranma both lay sprawled on the floor, flat on their backs, their exposed flesh covered with contusions and bruises. Ryoga sported a massive shiner over his left eye; Ranma had a lump on his head the size of a cantaloupe. Both their eyes were rolling in their sockets and each man was breathing heavily. From their positioning it looked like both had slammed their backs onto the ground simultaneously, as if one had pulled the other into a toss and had fallen at the same time. Akari was chewing the corner of a handkerchief nervously, while Nabiki kept recording away.

Ryoga twitched. "You… were… holding back… at first… weren't you, Ranma…"

Ranma coughed and winced. "Oughta know by now… I always… do that… an' it's not like… you weren't holdin' back… either, ya damn dummy."

"Not after you… started mockin' me… I wasn't," Ryoga retorted with a cough of his own, followed by a weak chuckle. "You know you're about… the hardest man to hit… the way you keep bouncing around like that?"

"That's who I am… but yer no slouch either," Ranma chuckled. "I dunno… what you've been doing with… those sumo pigs, but whatever it is… yer hittin' harder than ever."

Ryoga shut his eyes and smiled weakly. "Not like it matters much… Just wound up wearing out before I could… finish it…" He laughed again, then winced against the pain in his ribs. "Maybe if I'd taken it to the next level…"

"If you did that… I'd have had to take my game to that level…" Ranma replied with a laugh of his own. "An' believe me… you DON'T wanna fight me at that level… an' I don't wanna do that either." Ryoga shuddered at those words, his mind flitting back to Jusendo and the memories of Ranma's full-scale power, ki techniques and all the dozens of combat tricks he'd used then that he _hadn't_ used in their duel.

"I won't argue with you on that…" Ryoga mumbled.

"Boy, talk about anticlimactic," Nabiki scowled suddenly, turning her camera off and unhooking it from the top of her tripod. "I'm not gonna deny that was probably some of the best fighting I've seen from you two, but I'm just a tad disappointed it ended like this."

"Huh? Wait a minute, sis, what're you talking about?" Akane asked.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Look at them. They beat each other up so badly that neither one of them can get up. Neither one lords over the other. A complete standstill. A DRAW. Can you believe it? I got some incredible footage, but I was hoping I'd at least have a WINNER…" She shoved her tripod under her arm and stomped off to her room, muttering something about 'every duel needing a winner and a loser' with a parting shot at Ranma for 'letting his big sister down'; anything further she said was lost as she disappeared into the house.

Ryoga let out a long sigh. "Shoulda known. Even after all this time, I still can't beat you…"

"Ya didn't lose, man," said Ranma with a cough. "Neither of us did. Didn't I tell ya, man? You're one of the best sparring partners I got… one of a real small number o' people that can really push me. Hell, if ya _had_ been using all your tricks and ki techniques…" He paused, then smirked. "But like I said, you'd have forced me to use my tricks too…"

"Still have to get the last one-up, don't you, Ranma," Ryoga groaned before adding a smile of his own.

"Eh. Can't help it sometimes," the pig-tailed one answered as Akane crossed the dojo and began helping him up into a sitting position. Akari got up from where she sat and began assisting Ryoga in turn, while Shingen cracked his knuckles and prepared to execute the Naosu Kousen on each fighter in turn.

"I gotta admit, though… brought back a lot of memories, fightin' like that," Ryoga mused. "We've been doing this- how long again?" he added, turning to glance at Ranma over his shoulder before wincing again.

"Ryoga, don't twist around like that, you're going to hurt yourself if you're not careful," said Akari as Shingen administered the Healing Light to him. Ryoga flinched at first, then sighed as his ki reacted to the treatment and his bruises faded at lightning speed.

"Ah, don't worry 'bout him too much, Ryoga's too damn tough to stay down for long. That's probably how he learned the Breaking Point so fast," Ranma quipped as he sat up further and flinched, grasping his left shoulder.

"Well, that and the fact he was trying to learn it because he thought he could kill you with it," said Akane with a hint of ice as she rubbed Ranma's back, trying to will her ki into her hands to replicate a Naosu Kousen of her own.

"Hey, I said I was sorry," said Ryoga. "I wasn't thinking right, I admit it. I made a mistake. Okay?"

Ranma shrugged. "Hey, as far as I'm concerned, that's all bygones right now. Hell, we both made some mistakes back then and damn if the ol' ghoul didn't make both of us look stupid because of it."

Ryoga paused, then chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right about that."

"Damn straight I am," Ranma said with a smirk.

A few moments later, both of them had been treated and had recovered sufficiently to stand on their own. Ryoga got up, leaning on Akari slightly. "Hey, Ranma…"

"Yeah?"

"…Thanks. I needed that."

Ranma smiled. "Yeah, me too," he said, dragging himself to his feet. "You're a lot better than ya give yourself credit for, you know that?"

Ryoga raised an eyebrow. "I'd hope so. You'd just get soft if I didn't give you a good workout once in a while," he said with a sly grin before exiting the training hall. Fortunately, Akari only had to steer him back towards the house once before they reached the dining room.

"Sounded like you two had declared war in here," said Akane softly. "Looks like it a bit, too," she added, noting several sections of wall with human-shaped dents, two broken sections of floorboard and the exploded remains of two training dummies that appeared to have been unwitting recipients of Ryoga's fiercer punches.

"Eh, if you're gonna bury the hatchet, might as well go out with a bang," Ranma replied. "It was a good fight. He's definitely gotten stronger… could use some work on his defense…"

Akane paused and looked at him for a long moment, one eyebrow quirked.

"What?"

"Ranma… was that really a draw, or did you hold back on him?" she asked in an amused voice.

"Hey, he asked for a fair fight and I gave him one. No ki attacks, no secret trick, just straight-up skills."

"You didn't answer the question," Shingen piped up from the center of the dojo where he had been setting another shield ward. "Was that a genuine stalemate or not? The question's quite simple."

"C'mon, you both saw me; the guy hits like a goddamn bulldozer! Sure, I might have him beat in the speed department, but when he gets riled up he can get hard ta dodge!"

Shingen looked up and gave Ranma a knowing smile. "If that's the case, then why'd you put the training bands back on before the fight?"

Akane blinked. "Huh? Training bands?" She looked up at Ranma, who was suddenly sporting a familiar guilty look on his face. "Ranma… what's he talking about?" she asked in a no-nonsense tone. Ranma sighed, then took hold of the bracers on his forearms; in one quick motion, he tore them off and dropped them to the ground, revealing a pair of familiar-looking smallish wrist weights on each arm. He bent down and pulled up his pant legs, displaying the matching ankle weights; a quick snap and the set had tumbled to the floor with a series of extra-loud thuds.

Akane stared. "You mean to tell me… you were wearing those weights we used at the warehouse the _whole time you were fighting him_?"

Ranma stared at the floor. "Look, I know what I can do, an' I could sorta guess what he could do just from the way his aura feels. If I fought him at full speed, I probably would've won no sweat… I just wanted to give the guy what he wants without making it _look_ like I was holdin' back. And the fact is, I wasn't holdin' back either. Took everything I had just to break even as long as those weights were on…" He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. "I was testin' myself just as much as I was testing him, okay? I just… I dunno…"

"You were letting him save face in front of Akari, weren't you," said Shingen, arms folded and a knowing smile on his face. "He gets a fair duel with you, you put yourself to the test against these handicaps-" he stooped and picked up one of the weights, hefting it with a sudden surprised look in his eyes- "and at the same time, he gets close to beating you in combat- which might give him incentive to train harder himself and become a better fighter. Am I right?"

Akane blinked in surprise. _Ranma, is that true? Did you do all that to give him some sort of motivation?_ she asked in his mind's ear. _Or was it just out of pity?_

A moment of silence passed, ending with Ranma scratching the back of his head and turning to face Akane and Shingen. "Either of you tell him I did that to get his butt in gear, and I'll deny it."

Akane shook her head in amazement accompanied by a mild hoot of laughter. "I swear- just when I think I know you, Ranma, you go and do something like this! And I always thought winning was everything to you!"

"Well, if I hadn't put the weights on I woulda mopped the floor with him, ya know…" Ranma shot back defensively.

"Oh, don't get so uptight about it; I think that's pretty nice of you!" Akane replied, reaching up and mussing up his hair. "Imagine, the great Ranma Saotome, handicapping himself for the sake of someone else! I never thought I'd see the day…"

"Hey, cut it out! You want him to hear that? He'll blow a gasket if he finds out about those weights!"

"Oh, right. Sorry," said Akane. "Well now that you two are finished, maybe you could join the rest of us? Kasumi should have dinner finished any moment now." Ranma nodded in response, and the two of them exited the dojo and headed straight for the dining room. Shingen took one last look at the training weights on the floor before picking them up and tapping each one in turn, dispelling their density wardings before slipping them into his jacket pocket.

_That is definitely something I wasn't expecting,_ he pondered as he straightened his lapels and shut the training hall doors behind him. _I knew Ranma was plenty strong, but I didn't think he had adapted to the weights that fast in that short span of time. To go from 2 ½ pounds per strap Friday afternoon to fifteen pounds as of now… that's sixty pounds of weight that was holding him back!_

_Granted, Hibiki still has him beat in the strength department- that umbrella alone being forty pounds, and gods know what else he's carrying in that backpack of his. The pack frame alone has to be hefty to be able to support that umbrella without collapsing- but still! Adapting to that sort of increase in weight over a span of three days? _

Shingen shook his head in amazement. _Kami… he could easily become the greatest Hunter we've ever known._

--------------------

Far to the West of Nerima, in a dank cave set in a remote chasm deep in the Japanese mountains, something was stirring. Several somethings, in fact. The cave wound back into the rock walls of the chasm as if eaten through by a giant earthworm. Here and there, stalagmites jutted out of the cave floor like rotted fangs coated with luminescent lichen. Dust and mold lay thick upon the ground, evidence that few, if any, people had trod within the cavern for at least a hundred years, if not more.

At the furthest reaches of the cave lay a rough-hewn chamber, lit by a vacillating purple light. The light flickered and flared, throwing stark shadows across the wall and the remnants of a complex pattern of runes. The faint chalk outlines of four circles set equidistant from each other in a square, with a fifth circle at the exact center of the square, were all that remained. The complex kanji within each circle had been obliterated, leaving only scorch marks behind. The light grew, both in size and intensity, illuminating a series of dried vines that had grown through the cavern over time, but focusing on one vine in particular that was thicker than the others. The tattered remnants of braided Shinto wards barely clung to the edges of the vine.

The light splayed and bent, causing two sets of eyes to narrow and their owners to shield their faces. One set of eyes belonged to an especially ugly imp with strange patterns burned into its right hand. The other set belonged to its companion, a silent black Tengu with silver chains adorning his massive forearms, who rested on one knee, head bowed to the amorphous violet form before him.

A moment later, the light contracted and congealed, taking on a new form… the form of a handsome man, with white hair and violet eyes, clad in a white tunic and pants that appeared Chinese in design. A faint indigo aura swirled around his body as he looked at the two figures before him and smiled.

"You have done well… both of you," said the man in a deep, silky voice. "It has been far too long since I set foot outside these walls… many years of crafting the suitable counterspells to that accursed five-fold prison, many more years waiting for those suitable to bear the mark." He nodded to the imp, who looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "I knew I was right in choosing you as my viceroy, whelp. I am pleased."

The man paused, then shut his eyes with a vexed expression. "I had hoped to see the counterspells activated by the life force of humans, rather than our kind… still, it matters not. Only that five lights of ki be brought to bear." He turned and looked at the Tengu. "Your erstwhile host may live yet, Kurowashi- but that is of no import. Only that you brought me sufficient ki to break the final seal." The man smiled. "And you, of all the others, survived those accursed Hunters. You always were the greatest at hiding your power until the prime moment."

Kurowashi, the Tengu, said nothing, but nodded once. The man turned and strode towards the thick vine at the rear of the cavern; a quick thrust forward and the vine was in his grasp, the paper wards falling away uselessly before burning to ash. The man gave the vine a sharp twist, and a section three and a half feet long broke away from the wall. His eyes flared purple-white, and the outer skin of the vine burned away, revealing a perfectly straight, jet-black walking stick with a multifaceted amethyst set in the very top.

"Yes, my friend… you've missed me, haven't you. So close, and yet so far away for over two hundred years," the man purred as he slid the walking stick into his belt, much like a samurai would carry his sword. That done, he turned back to the others.

"There is much to be done… but patience will yet be our virtue. It will not be long before the Accursed One feels the wrath of those he has wronged. Once he has weakened, we shall take the opening and crush him with one swift stroke." He paused, then laughed- a low, calm, menacing laugh. "Once the Accursed One falls, the heirs to Sagara and Saito will follow… but slowly. Painfully. They have not yet attuned to their power as of yet… and I am in need of some sport." The Tengu nodded, while the imp snickered nastily.

The white-haired man's eyes glinted in the dim light. _Yes… it has been far too long since you sealed me away, Accursed One. Now you will know my full wrath… and the wrath of Astaroth is seldom kind._

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 12/7/05: Well, unfortunately under the new rules I can't thank my reviewers individually any longer, but to all of you who did review, I thank you. Every comment you've sent has helped me in one way or another. And now, on to this chapter. I didn't intend it to be as long as it is, but there was so much I wanted to get on paper… well, you know the drill.

Some of you may be asking why Genma is reacting the way he is, and for that, my answer is simple. He saw the light, or at least a small portion of it. His son bested him for the school, beating him severely in the process, and when something like that is followed up with the induced dream, where he relived all the scams he'd pulled in his life, it would take a heartless bastard not to awaken with at least a few perceptions altered. Yes, it is true Genma is a major SOB, but there have been moments in the series where he actually did do some good things. They weren't often, but they were still there. He's not out of the woods yet, of course- but what happens from this point is yet to be seen.

As for what happened in the previous chapter with Kodachi, there is more I have in store for her and the rest of the Kunos, but there just wasn't enough space to put it all in. Future installments may shed more light on that particular aspect.

It's still hard to believe that this story is now one year old. Happy Birthday to me, I suppose.

Again, I thank each and every one of my reviewers for their kudos and critiques, and hope you will continue to support this haphazard work. I'm not sure if my next installment will be posted this month, I need to take a little more time off to recharge my batteries and get into gear for Christmas. I wish you all well, and humbly request a review or 2 if you have the time. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	33. Family Matters

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. That said, we continue with the story currently in progress.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 33: Family Matters

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It was well past sundown, and a mousy looking ninja was pacing the halls of his employers' estate almost frantically. It was a nervous habit of his- especially at times of great stress for the household in general and himself in particular, in other words almost constantly. He had never let it slip to anyone else that he did it, for fear that he might be cast out like he had been once before, by the Young Master. But given the events of the past week, he felt he had just cause.

"What am I to do," Sasuke mumbled to no one in particular. "I haven't the slightest clue; Young Master Kuno grows more irrational and bent on revenge each day, and Mistress Kodachi…" He shuddered slightly. "She remains in her room, not saying a word to anyone except for occasional outbursts… and their father remains, as always, blissfully unaware…" He wrung his hands and cast a nervous glance behind him, towards one of the larger rooms of the Kuno estate. Tatewaki, he knew, was therein, having spent the majority of the afternoon in seclusion with an ice pack on his head, fuming over being knocked out with one kick.

Sasuke had been a part of the family long enough to know when something ill was about to happen; an icy sensation had always traveled up his spine at the first signs. That icy sensation had been traveling up his spine ever since both Kuno siblings had returned home in a daze, the day that Ranma had revealed his curse to them full-force. It had strengthened when the Young Master had sent him on an errand to procure him a 'special' katana to do away with Saotome for good, and now the icy feeling was at its strongest yet. It frightened him, not only because of the impending dirty work in the near future, but because of the implications it held for the Young Master.

_Seldom have I ever seen Master Kuno so angry,_ he thought as he turned a corner, pacing up towards Kodachi's room. _Even in his earlier rages against this Saotome, he never ventured quite towards this level of… I don't know… maniacal obsession, I suppose. But there's more than that…_ He bit his lip. _It's like he's becoming the violent boy he used to be… so many years ago, before the Incident with his father…_

He remembered Tatewaki in his youth, a boy who apparently idolized his sire's worldview and obsession with the samurai… an obsession that had lasted somewhat longer than some of the elder Kuno's obsessions… a boy who had begun to look down his nose on everybody except perhaps his father. Even his own sister suffered his disdain in those days. Sasuke shuddered as he remembered the day the Kuno Matriarch was cast out, Tatewaki's sudden rage against his sister… then not long afterward, a father-son kendo match that left the younger Kuno in a broken and battered heap, looking up at his father with eyes that spoke of betrayal- the 'Incident'. Then the elder Kuno's departure, that years-long trip to Hawaii that was to become his newest obsession and the final breaking point between him and both his children… but not before an oath had been forced upon all the serving staff.

_That's right,_ thought the unhappy ninja. _He made us swear never to bring up the matter of those days again, not to the children, not to anybody whatsoever. None of us dared say otherwise or risk inciting the father's temper… as it was back then, that is…_

Sasuke shuddered again, thinking back to further events of the afternoon. The younger Kuno seated in front of a fire pit, ice pack firmly on head, bottle of aspirin in hand as he threw handfuls of photographs into the fire- all pictures of the pig-tailed girl, Sasuke had noticed. Kuno had not said a word, but had gazed into the fire with all of the intensity that Sasuke remembered from before the Incident. He had spent well over an hour in front of the fire as the pictures burned before getting up and limping to another section of the house. Sasuke had tried to say something, but one glare from Kuno had silenced him. The short ninja had done little else but watch on as Kuno had retrieved the family sword and commenced sharpening and cleaning it, mulling over in a low voice his latest plan to defeat his 'most hated foe'.

_This does not bode well at all,_ he thought, gritting his teeth. He was about to turn around and pace back the way he came, when he was interrupted by a series of loud ripping sounds. His head snapped up; it sounded like cloth being shredded, and it was coming from Kodachi's room.

"Y-young Mistress? Is something the matter?" he called out in a weak voice as he scampered to her door. "Are you unwell?" A few seconds lapsed with no response, save for yet another ripping sound- this one accompanied by a moan. "Mistress Kodachi?" Sasuke pressed, his voice starting to shake.

A response was not forthcoming. He swallowed hard, remembering that Kodachi had once left strict instructions that he was _never_ to enter her room without her consent. Knowing her penchant for certain types of… punishment, which seemed to have begun not long after her mother's departure, Sasuke was not keen to go against Kodachi's direct orders. But given her current state of distress- that he was aware of, having not entered her room for days- he was afraid that she could be doing herself a great deal of harm, and his duty to the clan included looking out for her well-being. In the end, duty won out over his fear of the lash; he gritted his teeth and disappeared from the hallway, re-appearing in her room a few moments later.

His eyes widened at the sight before him. Kodachi had wrapped herself in her bed sheets and was doubled over on the floor, weeping. Her favorite robe, covered in black embroidered roses, was torn in two, as were several other items of clothing that had apparently been yanked forcibly out of her wardrobe. Her dark violet leotard was in tatters; a pale burgundy kimono with dark blue rose patterns had been destroyed. In fact, just about everything with a rose motif to it had been demolished or defaced- even the thin glass vase on her bedside table. Her ponytail was unbound and her hair cascaded down her back and around her face. Sasuke took a hesitant step forward and gasped as he saw the black rose that had been in the bedside vase clutched in her hand, the petals crushed; he could just make out several shallow gashes in her palm from the thorns.

"M-Mistress?" Sasuke squeaked. "Oh Kami, what h-happened to you? Are you greatly hurt? S-shall I send for the family p-physician?"

Kodachi stirred, slowly looking up until her eyes met Sasuke's. They were red-rimmed and her cheeks were streaked with tears, but there was a light dancing in her eyes that caused Sasuke to stop and look again. It wasn't her usual glare or any of the maniacal gleams he had grown accustomed to- it was something else. Something he hadn't seen in her since the days when she was a child, before their mother had left.

She blinked once, then pulled up into a seated position slowly. "Sasuke… I do not recall saying that you could come in."

Sasuke snapped out of his reverie, noting a hint of ice in her voice. "Oh… oh dear… f-forgive me, Mistress, but I heard something tearing in here, I was s-scared you might be trying to…" His knees gave out and he dropped to the floor before her. "I merely w-wanted to ensure your s-safety, I meant no impertinence, Mistress…" _Please don't hurt me, please don't hurt me…_

Kodachi shook her head slightly, her visage softening slightly. "I know…"

Sasuke blinked, still staring at the floor. "M-mistress?"

She shut her eyes and wiped her cheek with one corner of the sheet. "I know you meant well, Sasuke… you wouldn't do something like that unless you had a very good reason…" She took a deep breath and allowed herself a hint of a smile. "Thank you… for being that concerned about me."

Sasuke blinked again. _Did… did she just thank me? SHE thank ME?_ He looked up, staring at her face, noting again that her usual icy mask was gone, as was the eccentric twinkle in her eyes. "M-mistress Kodachi, is there something wrong? F-forgive me for saying so, but you haven't exactly been… well, that is, what I mean to say…"

"I know, Sasuke… I have not been acting the way I usually do," she murmured softly. "Not since that… that day, when I realized I'd been… I've been living a lie."

Sasuke's eyebrow quirked. "Come again?"

"That day, when…" She bit back the phrase _Ranma-sweetums_ and stared at a corner of the room. "When Ranma showed me once and for all that I was in love with a fantasy… that I'd been ignoring all the signs, even going so far as to ignore…" She paused and gave Sasuke a hard look. "Did you know that he and the pig-tailed girl were one and the same? All this time?"

Sasuke started, then looked away, scratching the back of his head. "I'd heard… rumors… but never really had much chance to verify it… and M-master Kuno was so vehement, and you know what he's like when you talk back to him…" He stopped as Kodachi visibly flinched at the mention of her brother's name. "M-mistress?"

"There's more to it, isn't there," she said in a bitter tone. "Much more that you and the rest of the serving staff have neglected to tell me." She took a deep breath and glared at the crushed remains of the rose in her hand. "Much that I have spent the past few days revisiting, time and again, all the while unsure if I even wanted to…" She swallowed hard. "I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream…"

Sasuke blanched. _Oh, Kami… the shock really has gotten to her! She's starting to quote classical literature, just like the Young Master!_

"But it wasn't just a dream. It was real… it all happened so long ago, and I did want to forget it so badly that… that I have lived a lie ever since, giving out pain to shield mine own self from that pain…" Her eyes hardened. "Surely my brother has lived a similarly crafted lie, else he would not do some of the things he does. Yes… more than likely, he forgot just as I forgot."

"Mistress… what are you talking about?"

Kodachi bit her lip. "You know… all the staff probably knows… the day Mother left this house… the day our family fell apart and we all began l-living our own l-lies, ignoring what REALLY happened that day…" At Sasuke's sudden look of guilt, she nodded and let out a long sigh. "I remember it all now… even if my sadistic elder brother cannot, or will not, lest it spoil his self-image of the 'noble warrior'."

Sasuke gripped the fabric of his pants and shook his head ashamedly. "Your father… he said we were not to tell a word, on penalty of… of… I'm sorry, Mistress…" He turned away, afraid to even look at her, and for a long moment neither one said anything. An errant moonbeam cast a watery light across the room, and further down the hall the faint scrape of Kuno's sword-sharpening could still be heard.

Kodachi pulled the sheets around herself and let out a mirthless laugh, one that held no resemblance to her usual cackle. "Listen to me… I refer to oniisan as sadistic, and all these long years I've been much the same… even more so… Lord, what fools these mortals be." She exhaled heavily. "I've lived like this for too long. I cannot continue to deceive myself, nor can I resume a hapless pursuit rooted in a desperate dream."

"M-mistress…" Sasuke began to turn back towards her, then turned away again as she sat up further, the sheet falling off her bare shoulder. "I-is there anything I could bring you? Bandages for your hand, or fresh clothes? A-anything at all? Begging your pardon Mistress Kodachi, but you're beginning to w-worry me; it p-pains me to see you in such a state. I only w-want you to be well…" _Perhaps I can talk her out of this state and get her cleaned up before Master Kuno finds out about this; I don't want to face what he might do if he sees his sister in such a state!_

"That's just it," she replied in a dull voice. "I'm not well… I fear I have not been well for many a year now… nor has my brother been." She shook her head again. "No doubt you have suffered much because of it, loyal Sasuke…" Kodachi paused again, listening to the distant scraping of the whetstone down the hall for long seconds before turning to Sasuke with a hard look in her eyes. "He's planning something, isn't he."

Sasuke cringed, a massive sweatdrop running down his head. _I don't like the sound of her voice… oh Kami, what's she planning now?_ "Mistress, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about…"

"I think you do know," she replied, pulling herself to her feet, adjusting the bedsheets about her like a toga. "I'm not deaf, I can hear someone cleaning a katana several rooms down, and Father doesn't practice kendo any longer… great heavens, he doesn't even LIVE in this house any longer, thank the Kami… so you don't have to deny it. My brother is still out for Saotome's blood."

"Well, I c-can't be for certain, he h-hasn't spoken to me since school, so…"

"Tell me." The tone in her voice was enough to stop him cold and look up; there was a distinct hatred boiling in her eyes that turned his blood to ice. "I want to know, and I want to know now. I have lived life behind…" She winced at the term. "…_rose-tinted_ lenses for far too long. What I want now is the truth. What is my brother planning?"

Sasuke shivered violently, then sighed and hung his head low. _Master, forgive me… but I can't take this much longer._ And he told her.

--------------------

Ranma lay back on his futon in his pants and tank top, one arm behind his head as he balanced a schoolbook on one finger before flipping it open. He sighed; English was one of his least favorite classes, but he knew he had to get around to it at some point. He turned a page with his thumb and his eyes darted over the letters, but his mind was only half on his work. Outwardly he was only slightly smiling, but on the inside he was practically singing.

Dinner with the Tendos and his parents had gone far better than he had ever hoped it would. It had been a rather amusing sight, he thought, seeing his old man in panda form holding an umbrella for Nodoka as they entered the front gate. More satisfying than that, however, was the look on said panda's face. One glance was all Ranma needed to know that something had finally gotten through his father's thick skull- in all the time he had known him, Genma had never looked as repentant and ashamed as he had at that moment. Ranma wasn't sure if it was the fight between them that had done it, or a vague 'something' Cologne had referred to earlier, but it was something he had wanted to see for a very long time.

Kasumi had, of course, provided some hot water for Genma to change with, which was followed by the elder Saotome doing something Ranma had not expected and was not prepared for. It was awkward and more than a little hesitant- Nodoka had actually prodded Genma with the pommel of her katana to egg him on- but in the end, Genma had bowed to his son before pulling him into a hug and saying the one thing Ranma thought he would never hear from his lips. An actual apology.

A stammering and convoluted one, but an apology nonetheless.

Ranma's smile wavered as he recalled more of that evening's events… his mother escorting father and son into the dojo, where the consequences of Genma's loss to Ranma were made official. Part of Genma's old attitude had resurfaced for a moment during the short ceremony, but only as far as his penchant for flowery speech was concerned. Ranma nodded to himself as he turned the page in his book, letting a wave of satisfaction wash over him. _That was one time I didn't mind the old man's pomposity,_ he mused. _He sure as hell did talk a lot an' cover it up with a lot of provisions, but he did make one thing clear… an' that's all that really matters._ He turned his head and glanced to the side of the room, where an ornate scroll was hanging on the wall. A certificate acknowledging one Ranma Saotome as rightful Master of the Saotome branch of Anything Goes Martial Arts, signed by former Master Genma Saotome and seconded by Nodoka Saotome, complete with the clan seal. The Sagara wakizashi lay beneath it, leaning against the dresser; Ranma had stashed it in his room long before Genma ever came over, and no one had told him about it.

_I never thought I'd see the day he actually gave me bona fide recognition,_ Ranma thought quietly. _And more than that… it may have been with that damn excuse that it was for the 'sake of the Art', but at least he fessed up to bein' a jackass teacher._ He flipped another page, his smile growing broader as he began to reflect on the rest of the evening.

Dinner had been a quiet affair for the most part. Soun's spirits, as expected, had picked up at the presence of his old friend, albeit somewhat more subdued- for the Tendo patriarch hadn't quite forgotten some of the things Genma had said about his daughters the previous day. Nodoka had sat between Genma and Ranma, allowing him to be spared the usual fight over portions, though Genma didn't appear to be in any mood for a food battle anyway; consequently Ranma had finally had a chance to slow down and eat properly. Though not without a few reminders on manners from his mother and fiancée. _"Son, no need to rush; it's not healthy and certainly isn't proper."_ That had been Nodoka. _"Honestly, Ranma, you'd think by now you'd have stopped eating like an animal!"_ And that had been Akane.

Ranma chuckled. "Yeah, guess I do need to shape up a tad in that department," he said to no one. "I'm just glad 'kane didn't try to nail the manners point home with that damn mallet." He paused, then shut the book and snickered at one incident during dinner that caught just about everybody off guard.

--------------------

"_Oh, by the way… there was one other thing that happened when we were gone over the weekend," Akane said offhand as she took a sip of tea._

"_Really, sis? And what, pray tell, would that be?" Nabiki drawled in an apparently uninterested tone. Ryoga said nothing from his place on the other side of the table, but continued eating._

"_Did you and Ranma learn something new together?" Soun asked, hope dancing in his eyes._

"_It wasn't something dangerous, was it?" Kasumi asked._

"_Actually it wasn't dangerous at all," Akane continued in a nonchalant tone. "Ranma asked me to marry him. And I said yes."_

_Genma almost spat out his tea and stared at the two of them wide-eyed. Soun's jaw dropped almost to the floor. Nodoka and Kasumi both gasped before their eyes began to mist over. Nabiki's eyes were the size of saucers. Ryoga looked shocked at the ease with which she had tossed it out, but shook it off rapidly; Akari was smiling from ear to ear. Ranma, for his part, merely shook his head and gave her a disbelieving look._

"_What happened to easin' them into it, Akane?"_

_Akane giggled. "And miss the expression on their faces?" Ranma paused, then started to laugh himself as he looked at their fathers, frozen in complete shock. The shock, however, lasted only about ten seconds before Soun and Genma broke out in war whoops and started dancing arm-in-arm, lapsing into form once again. A hearty series of congratulations quickly came from everybody else at the table; Nodoka began asking them about a wedding date, Kasumi was off thinking up whether to have a Shinto ceremony or a Western one. Even Ryoga offered a heartfelt congratulations to his oldest rival._

_Shingen merely smiled wordlessly from his corner of the table and gave Ranma a quick thumbs-up._

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"Talk about chaos unleashed," Ranma mused. "Might've carried on all night if Mom hadn't got 'em calmed down." He flipped open the book again, read a few more lines before deciding he was thoroughly sick of English and tossed it off in the corner. "Bet they woulda had us married before the night was out if me, 'kane and Mom hadn't made both of them back off." _About time those clowns let us move at our own pace, too,_ he mused silently. He smirked again, then put both hands behind his head and rolled backwards into a handstand. It took only the faintest flicker of exertion to initiate his transformation from male to female; onna-Ranma took a deep breath and began doing a set of handstand push-ups in the middle of the room.

_Talk about your weird weeks,_ she thought quietly in the midst of her exercise. _Seems almost too good to be true, if you ask me… we've had nothin' but craziness since the day we met, and now things are fallin' into place, more or less. Not exactly the way I woulda thought they'd fall, but still…_ The redheaded girl twisted in a half-circle and hand-walked to the edge of the room and back again before resuming the exercise, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead.

_This ain't over by a long shot, either. Pop an' Mr Tendo are liable to go apeshit when they hear about me an' Acchan's bloodline power. And I'll bet anything we're gonna get more o' those spirit things knockin' on our door any day now._ Onna-Ranma's face hardened as she continued with the handstand push-ups. _Or something else from the local loony bin. Probably bound to happen now that 'kane's dumped the news on the family. I just hope to Kami what happened to Mousse doesn't happen to someone else…_

She paused, suddenly sensing a presence moving towards the bedroom door. A moment later, she smirked and resumed her exercises. "Door's open, Akane."

The door opened and the aforementioned short-haired girl stepped inside. "I would ask how you knew it was me, but I don't think I'll bother since I think I already know," Akane chuckled, closing the door before turning to face Ranma. As she did, onna-Ranma paused at the height of her latest push-up, tilted her head to smirk upside-down at Akane- and the redhead's tank top abruptly came loose and succumbed to gravity, unintentionally giving Akane a free show.

Akane stared for a few seconds, a distinct flush crossing her cheeks- and then burst out laughing.

"Ah, GEEZ!" Onna-Ranma grimaced and pushed off the floor, rolling up from the handstand into a seated position where she promptly transformed back into a male and grabbed the loose tank top from where it had fallen on the floor. "Figured that kinda thing would've stopped happening to me now that I got control over the damn curse," Ranma grumbled, yanking the offending item of clothing back on. "And what's so funny anyway? Don't ya usually give me some lecture on modesty when crap like that happens?"

"Sorry," Akane snickered, reining her laughs in but failing to wipe the smirk off her face completely. "I couldn't help it, it's been a while since…" Giggle. "S-since you wound up f-flashing someone like that…" Snort. "I thought I'd never see that ag-gain after you got cont-trolheheHAHAHA!"

"Yeah, yeah, real funny," Ranma snorted. "Not like I meant to, ya know. Just tryin' to get my girl side a little stronger."

"I know," Akane chortled, calming herself down again. "It's just… that look on your face was so priceless right now, just like old times!"

"You wanna talk priceless, how about when your dad's jaw hit the floor at dinner, Miss Let's-Tell-Them-When-We-Finish-Sorting-Out-Affairs?"

Akane sighed and giggled at the same time. "Okay, so I jumped the gun a little on telling them, it's not like it's that big of a deal, right? As long as we keep our final say on when and how, I don't see why Dad shouldn't know you asked me." She paused, then started laughing again. "Though you're right, I've never seen him so bowled over in my life."

"Him an' my old man, both," Ranma replied. "And me, too. Darn near choked on my rice there," he added with an amused look. "So where'd they head off to, it's been pretty quiet the last half hour."

Akane rolled her eyes. "They figured they had a right to celebrate the 'union of the houses', so they headed off to the local bar, as usual," she sighed. "Fortunately your mom went with them, so I'm guessing they won't cause that much trouble. She said something about needing to keep your dad 'on probation'."

"My gut tells me she's gonna be keeping him on probation for a while yet," said Ranma.

"Yeah, I guess so; she was giving him a bunch of hard looks all through dinner." Akane paused and blinked. "Come to think of it, he was a _lot_ more subdued than he usually is… you think that duel you had got to him?"

Ranma shrugged. "I dunno. I got the same feeling when he apologized about the whole Neko-ken fiasco… that guy never apologizes for nothing." He paused, then scuffed his foot along the floor. "Maybe he just decided to grow up or something." He looked up. "So, uh… did you wanna see me about something, 'kane?"

Akane smiled. "It wasn't much," she said. "Just that Kasumi's running an errand to a neighbor and Nabiki's holed up in her room. Ryoga and Akari left for her place a while ago… so… if you want to get cleaned up before bed, now's as good a time as any."

"Eh, I can wait. You go on ahead an' I'll take my bath when you're finished." He stretched his arms out and was about to go through a series of leg stretches when he noticed Akane wasn't moving. He also noticed a certain flush crossing her cheeks again. "Uh… Acchan?"

Akane looked to one side and opened her mind to his. _Well… I didn't say anything about taking turns in the bath, you know._

Ranma boggled and almost fell over. _Huh? Are you SERIOUS? You wanna take a bath together in that 'zero privacy bathroom'?_

Akane shrugged. _Hey, now that they know we're engaged for real the only person who'd have a problem with it might be Kasumi, and she's out running errands- and I already threatened Nabiki with a sparring session if she walks in on anyone or hides the Occupied sign again._ She looked up at him again, her expression warm. _Besides, it's not like we haven't had a bath together once already, right?_

Ranma looked at her for a long moment, then chuckled and stood up, shaking his head. "And up till a little while ago _you_ were callin' _me_ a pervert?"

Akane's smile dimmed a few notches. "I know, I know," she muttered, looking away again. "Pot calling the kettle black, I guess… if you'd really rather not, then we don't have to…"

"Hey, wait a sec," Ranma said, stepping forward and turning her back to face him again. "I didn't mean it like that. I was just a little surprised, that's all." He smiled, then leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss. "But… maybe we oughta keep it to _just_ a bath this time, if you know what I mean."

Akane blinked, then blushed again. _Baka, I wasn't thinking of doing anything like THAT, not right now anyway…_ Her smile returned full-force, with a sly look of the eye thrown in. "Maybe I was wrong, maybe you are a bit of a pervert after all."

"Takes one to know one," Ranma quipped before pulling her in for a quick squeeze and a longer kiss. "Race you to the furo?" Akane giggled and nodded before the two of them bolted out of Ranma's room and dashing downstairs to the bath- stopping long enough to grab a change of clothes each. They darted through the hallway so fast, they very nearly bowled Shingen over, who happened to be setting up the last of his shield wards inside the bathroom itself; he merely nodded, excused himself and headed back to his rented room.

--------------------

Nabiki grinned; she hadn't heard any of her sister's conversation, but the warning she'd been given was sufficient to give the middle Tendo an idea of what was happening. With Kasumi out picking up some cookware she'd loaned to a neighbor up the street, and both their fathers out partying, something was bound to happen between Akane and her future brother-in-law. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard a pair of laughs emerge from Ranma's room(she no longer referred to it as Genma's room, what with Nodoka more or less evicting him from the Tendo household), followed by hurried footsteps down the stairs and a sound which she could only assume was the bathroom door closing.

"Have fun, you two," she chuckled before turning up the volume on her Walkman. She turned a page in the family finance ledger and was about to add in the latest figures from their portfolio, when there was a sudden tapping on her window.

"What the… who's buggin' me at this time of the night?" she grumbled, snapping the ledger shut. "Better not be another one of their suitors, I'm _not_ in the mood…" A quick yank and the shades were open. She blinked twice; nobody was outside, but somebody _had_ been there. A small envelope dangled from the glass, affixed by a piece of tape.

"Ooookay… what might this be, I wonder." Nabiki pushed the window open and tugged the envelope off the glass before closing it again and pulling the drapes. Her nimble fingers quickly extracted the note within. She flipped it open- and a moment later her eyes narrowed.

_Ranma and your sister are in danger. There is a planned assault at the school gates tomorrow. I shall endeavor to halt it as best I can. With their skill, they should be able to take care of the rest, but more is needed. This futile struggle must end now. I will need your help and connections- yes, I am aware of your business acumen- to put an end to this insanity. Consider this an act of atonement._ A series of web addresses and a web ID were hastily scribbled at the bottom of the note with the words, _you might be able to use these_, scrawled beneath them in shaky handwriting.

The note was not signed, but contained in the envelope was one final item. A single black rose petal.

--------------------

Tuesday morning dawned without any major incident. Ranma and Akane were both up at an early hour for a quick sparring session in the yard, which Soun- who was nursing a very mild hangover- was more than pleased to watch. Genma and Nodoka were not there to watch, having returned to the Saotome estate the previous evening. Kasumi took occasional glances at their match as she prepared breakfast, smiling happily at both of them.

Nabiki, per her habits, was the last one to rise, and looked to have stayed up far later than usual. Both Akane and Ranma noted the dark circles under her eyes when they came in from their match- that and the fact that she nearly nodded off into her miso soup at least twice. This struck Akane as being unusual even for Nabiki, and she quickly shot a worried look in Ranma's direction. All he did was shrug, unable to give an explanation himself.

By the time the three of them left for school Nabiki had awakened a few more degrees, but still sported a rather haggard appearance coupled with a preoccupied air. They hadn't gone for more than two blocks before Akane's curiosity got the better of her. "Nabiki, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, sis," she replied, biting back a yawn.

"Come on, you come downstairs looking like some kind of zombie and expect me to believe that?" Akane shook her head. "Nabiki, I know you're a bona fide night owl, but you look like you haven't slept more than two hours. What's going on?"

Nabiki rubbed her eyes and sighed. "I had to… do a little extra homework last night, that's all."

"Extra homework? Give me a break, I know you're gearing up for your practice entrance exams to Waseda but I also know how quick you are on things. Those exams aren't for a while yet anyways, so what's this about homework?"

"I didn't say it was homework the teacher assigned, Akane." Nabiki suddenly flashed an ice-cold smile in their direction, one that made both Akane and Ranma stop and sweatdrop. "This was something… extra. Something to do with a certain someone." She paused and shook her head. "I had to admit I was more than a little hesitant with going through with this, especially considering _who_ it involved, but… well… some of this info was too good to pass up…"

"Wait a sec, you're talking in circles here," said Ranma, hands behind his head as he shifted closer- he and Akane were both on the sidewalk, foregoing the balance practice for the time being. "What was too good to pass up? And who is this person involved?"

Nabiki's grin faltered a moment. "I got a note last night, taped to my window," she said in a low tone. "And the simple fact is, you might be expecting some company at the school gate this morning. Some VERY familiar and all too pompous kendo-practicing company."

Akane blinked, then groaned. "Oh, no… don't tell me Kuno's still going to try and…"

"Set up an ambush for you two, yep, that's pretty much it. And this time, he might have some backup helping him out. Not sure what he has in mind, but…"

"Geez, doesn't the moron EVER get a clue?" said Ranma as he kicked a rock down the road. "How many more times are we gonna have to bash his head in before he leaves us alone?"

"Actually, unless there's something I don't know about or I slipped up somewhere, you might not have to worry about him after today," said Nabiki mysteriously. "My source's info was _most_ intriguing… that's actually what kept me up most of last night, that and a few… online data transactions. All you have to do is let him make the first move, then clobber him. Everything else is already in motion."

"Heh. That's no problem, he usually makes the first move anyways," Ranma replied.

"Hey, wait a minute," Akane piped up. "That sounds more than a little too suspicious if you ask me, don't you think? What was all that about 'data transactions'? Care to explain what that's supposed to mean? And for that matter, what about that note you said you got? Who sent it to you? How do you know they were telling the truth? For all you know, it could be some kind of doublecross, a bad joke or something that'll pull us all into…"

"Akane," Nabiki interrupted, her eyes hard as steel. "Ordinarily I'd be agreeing with you, don't forget I've never taken anything at face value in my life. Are you forgetting I make it my business to know what I'm dealing with, especially when it comes to information? Okay, one or two slip-ups aside, I DON'T make mistakes." She took a deep breath and continued, her sister staring at her wide-eyed. "I did a _lot_ of digging last night, I checked everything forward and back, and believe me… this is no joke. I even tracked the note's writer down on an IM list and had a long talk before I was convinced they were on your side. And believe me, some of the stuff that convinced me was stuff I'd heard rumors about before. They weren't pretty."

Akane shook her head; she'd never seen Nabiki talk that way unless it was something _very_ serious. "Nabiki… I just wanted to know what you were talking about when you mentioned information, and also who wrote this note you're talking about."

"You'll know all that in good time, sis. I'd rather not say any more; the walls have ears," said Nabiki in a low voice.

"Well, for all we know, that shrimp Sasuke might've finally got a clue and quit working for the Kuno crazies; he's about the best person to be in position to get info, right?" said Ranma with a shrug. The three of them turned a corner and started down the final block to the school gate. Ranma took a deep breath and slung his book bag off his shoulders. "Might as well get this over with," he muttered before breaking into a run.

"Ranma, wait up!" Akane shouted in an exasperated tone before sprinting up to catch him. "Do you _always_ have to run headlong into things like this? I thought I told you, it drives me nuts when you do that!" Nabiki began jogging just behind them, retrieving her mini-cam from her bag at the same time.

"Akane, this is Kuno we're talking about. It's not like the guy's that big on tactics- and so what if he's got some sorta backup! If we could deal with that damn magic sword he used last time, I think we can deal with anything," was Ranma's cocky reply as they crossed the T-intersection and entered the school gates.

The instant they did, both of them skidded to a halt; their peripheral senses, sharpened by their Hunter exercises, started picking up several large concentrations of battle aura. It was tightly concealed, but it was there, and in great numbers.

_You feel that?_ said Ranma wordlessly to Akane.

_Yeah… feels weaker than those oni, but there's still a bunch of them,_ was her Astral response. _Feels like it's coming from the trees._

Ranma gritted his teeth. _Probably Kuno's hired muscle. And if I know his taste for 'warrior custom' he probably scraped together a bunch of ninja. Better stay back to back at first, Acchan._

"And so the honorless Saotome shows his face a final time," said a thoroughly unpleasant voice. The two of them looked up and stared as Kuno emerged from the shade of a nearby tree- only he was not merely dressed in kendo attire. He was in full samurai regalia, the Kuno crest clearly visible on his gray kataginu, and he had pulled his hair tightly back into a semblance of a topknot. His left hand gripped the saya of his clan sword as he took several slow, methodical steps forward.

"In the past, vile cur, you have shamed and humiliated me. Worse still, you parade yourself about and toy with the emotions of not only my own beloved Akane Tendo, but those of mine sister and _myself as well!_" He took another step forward and placed his right hand on the hilt of the family blade. "This will end today, Saotome. This day, I wilt pay you back for making me look the fool this past year; there will be no more of this! Your sorcerous ways and contemptible perversions shall be quelled!"

Ranma glared at the taller man before him. "I must've kicked you harder than I thought yesterday, Kuno. I told you and TOLD you I was through playing around, but you just don't listen, do ya?"

"Obviously not, otherwise he'd catch on to the fact that I _hate his guts_," Akane snarled, giving Kuno her iciest glare yet.

"You say such hurtful words now, fair one," Kuno said in a low, dangerous tone that caused Akane to blink and look up; she started as she saw a look in his eyes that chilled her to the bone. It was the look of a man beyond all reason… or the look of a predator approaching his cornered prey, and it was being directed at her. "But once I have vanquished this scum, you will see the truth and be freed to come willingly to my arms once more." He stopped his advance and glanced quickly up at the trees. "As you saw fit to declare war on me, Saotome, so have I declared war on thou… and one must make proper use of one's weapons. FORWARD, MEN!"

At that signal, the trees exploded with activity. Dark shapes sprang from the branches, darting hither and yon across the schoolyard and catching the eye of more than a few early-arriving students. Nabiki crouched just beyond the gates, her mini-cam focused on Kuno. Akane and Ranma backed up against each other, scouring the black blurs in front of them as they took up defensive positions. Suddenly the blurs stopped moving, revealing no less than thirty trained ninja in full battle dress in a rigid semicircle around Ranma and Akane. Akane gasped; behind her, she felt Ranma stiffen up and start to shake.

Every ninja was wearing a perfectly detailed cat mask.

Kuno smirked cruelly. "I well remember a certain… attitude you bear towards certain felines, Saotome. The Neko ninja clan of Kyoto was more than happy to assist my most _noble_ cause." _Once I agreed to their price, anyway,_ he thought to himself with a grimace.

_That bastard! Ranma, calm down!_ Akane practically shouted through the Astral. _Don't pay attention, they're just masks!_ Ranma didn't respond, but she could feel his shoulders start to tremble even more. _Dammit, Ranma, listen to me! Don't look at them! It's just a stupid trick!_

"Ca… ca… ca… cats… c-cats… CATS…" Ranma tried to tear his eyes away, but the suddenness of it, combined with the realistic design of every mask, was pulling up his oldest fear even quicker than when he had fought the yamaneko spirit at the warehouse just a few days prior. The demon had only vaguely resembled a cat at times, and never long enough for the fear to fully grasp him. Thirty cats' heads suddenly appearing in a ring around him, on the other hand, was enough to lock him up and start sweating like a madman, oblivious to Akane's attempts to shake him out of it. Akane started to panic herself and was just about to spin him around and try to slap some sense into him…

…and then Kuno made his move.

"DIE, LOWBORN SCUM!" he bellowed as he sprang across the yard with a speed Akane hadn't been aware he was capable of. The ninja each took a quick step back and simultaneously pushed their masks up, revealing more traditional shinobi masks beneath- their instructions from Kuno had been clear, 'distract the one in the Chinese clothes only long enough to immobilize him'. Ranma blinked, jerking out of his trance just as Kuno was on top of him. There was a sudden flinch, hands darting out to shove a startled Akane away, a flash of steel- and blood splattered on the ground as Ranma staggered back, sporting a wicked gash across his left forearm.

"RANMA!" Akane screamed, dropping her bookbag before snapping her attention back to Kuno. Fire flared in her eyes and she was about to lunge forward and beat the crap out of him when a wire suddenly whipped through the air, targeting her ankle. Her aura caught it just in time and she skipped to one side, only to find another wire heading her way- several of the ninjas surrounding them were actively trying to bind her in place. Akane gritted her teeth and began to spin and dive away from the incoming wires, trying desperately to read the ninjas' intentions and get them before they got her. She ducked in and smashed one across the nose with her elbow, hopped over a pair of wires and caught another with a reverse spinning roundhouse kick. _Dammit all to hell, I've gotta get away from these creeps and give Ranma a hand!_ she thought frantically, just as five more ninja surrounded her and launched another volley of wires. The first few she managed to evade, but the remaining wires blazed through the air too fast for her to react, catching her in a veritable 'cat's cradle' that bound her hands and feet in place.

Ranma, for his part, had begun to recover from his initial shock and was moving defensively, blocking or evading Kuno's cuts as best he could, when suddenly he found himself having to fight on multiple fronts at once. The ninja, having given Kuno an opening, had moved to their second phase and began herding Ranma back towards their employer. He snarled and spun to catch three at once with a reverse crescent kick, but froze up at the very last second- the ninja directly in front of him had pulled his cat mask back into position and mimicked a cat's meow. The flinch provoked by the meow gave two other ninja sufficient time to kick Ranma in the gut back towards Kuno; Ranma shook himself and spun back towards the kendoist just as Kuno lunged and thrust at his face. The blade came dangerously close to taking out Ranma's eye, carving a deep gouge into his right cheek. Ranma bit back the pain and ducked in, slamming his fist into Kuno's gut just as four more Neko Ninja leaped into the fray, with the combined result that Ranma had to pull his punch just to fend off the additional attackers and Kuno managed to get in another shallow cut, this time across the back of Ranma's right hand.

For endless seconds, it seemed, the pattern seemed to repeat itself. Ranma would try to get into a groove and would toss one or two attackers aside, only to be accosted by more ninja attacking him both physically and psychologically, all while Kuno was continually setting up his pattern strike, carving more shallow cuts into Ranma's arms. Akane was wrestling against the wires that were holding her back, screaming obscenities at Kuno verbally and continual words of encouragement to Ranma astrally. She could tell it was only having minimal success; Ranma wasn't getting as distracted by the masks or the animal mimicry, but it was still enough. "Kuno, you sick son of a bitch, I swear to Kami- you kill him, and they're gonna need a squeegee to clean up your remains!" she barked, her aura flaring bright crimson about her.

"You wound me with such talk, my tigress," Kuno purred, throwing a chilling look her way. "I see it is evident that you will have to be… trained. It would be most unseemly for you to talk to your beloved as such in public."

_Trained? Did… did that lunatic say… TRAINED?_ Ranma's mind suddenly snapped into clear focus. All the sounds around him died down; he looked up and couldn't see anything except Kuno's sneering face. The dull throb in his arms seemed to quiet for a moment as a burning rage leaped up inside of him. "Don't… you… DARE… talk… about… Akane… that way… AGAIN!"

Kuno's eyes widened in sudden shock as Ranma's aura practically exploded around him, tossing no less than five ninja through the air, their uniforms suddenly scorched by the heat. At that same instant, Akane's aura erupted with identical force, burning through the cables that kept her limbs restrained; a quick flip and she had produced a pair of tonfa, one in each hand, as opposed to her usual mallet. He blinked twice and stepped back into a defensive swordsman's stance, when a third thing happened that he wasn't expecting.

A ribbon shot through the air and snapped around his wrists, twisting around several times before pulling taut. Kuno stared in shock and was promptly yanked in a semicircle towards the wielder of the ribbon, who stood behind him in a plain lime green leotard with a look of hatred on her tear-stained face. "Wha- what is the meaning of this?" he gasped. "Sister, have you gone MAD? Here I am, on the verge of reclaiming our clan's honor from this fiend, and you STOP me? Is your love for this cretin so misguided that you betray your own BLOOD?"

Kodachi shook her head slowly. "Had my alarm not failed me, I would have been here far sooner," she said in a trembling voice. "And I do not do this out of love, _brother,_" she added with an undercurrent of venom. "I do this to repay my debt to them… and to collect the debt you owe me from so long ago." A flick of her hand, and a gymnastics club slammed into Kuno's forehead, sending him staggering back a few steps. Kodachi flicked her ribbon, and the clan sword was suddenly out of Kuno's grasp, flipping through the air into her waiting hand.

"If you must fight, you may have your preferred weapon," she said lightly, flicking a bokken towards Kuno with her foot. "And now, brother dear… this madness ends."

Another flick of the wrist and two more clubs flashed through the air, past a stunned Ranma and Akane. The clubs landed amid two large clusters of ninja and promptly detonated in a cloud of smoke and pepper, sending ten ninjas into a fit of sneezing and frantic eye-rubbing. Kodachi snapped her ribbon to attention and lashed out one last time, striking her brother across the face and both hands, leaving a series of vicious red welts before leaping forward and disappearing beyond the cloud of smoke. She had barely enough time to drop a pair of envelopes on the ground before springing to the school gates and bounding off into the distance. There was no maniacal laughter from her… only a slow stream of silent tears.

A moment of stunned silence passed before Kuno gritted his teeth and snatched up his bokken, vowing to 'punish that girl for such a base act of betrayal'. He turned around… just in time to realize the odds were no longer in his favor. Ranma and Akane were both glowing like angels of vengeance- and from his vantage point, the wounds he had given Ranma seemed to be not as serious as they had been a moment ago. The two of the nodded to each other; Akane readied the twin tonfa seemingly snatched from thin air, while Ranma produced a black strip of cloth which he bound over his eyes.

The next few minutes after that were the most vicious ever seen in the front courtyard of Furinkan High, as Saotome and Tendo heirs executed their most perfectly timed offensive ever against Kuno and his lackeys. Kuno made a resolute fencing attempt, but Ranma was not in a mood to be lenient after hearing his 'training' remark, and promptly broke Kuno's jaw in two places. Akane followed suit with a double strike to his stomach and his groin, hitting him so hard that he staggered back two steps before doubling over and losing his breakfast. That done, she turned on the group of ninja that had bound her and proceeded to give them a worse thrashing than anything she had ever dished out before- worse even than the beating she had given Ryoga a week earlier. At the same time, Ranma plowed into the remnants of the Neko Ninja; no longer intimidated by the sight of their masks and hearing no sound save a warhorse's whinny that had erupted in his mind's ear, he smashed through their ranks in a whirlwind of punches and kicks that culminated in a Hiryu Shoten Ha so massive it yanked every last one of them off their feet and through the air in the general direction of Kyoto.

--------------------

By the time the chaos finally died down, most of the students had retreated a fair distance away and stared in abject amazement. Nabiki, for her part, was still behind one pillar of the school gate, still recording away. _Holy moly…so he really did hire ninja. Never did find out what KIND of ninja, that certainly might've been helpful…_

Akane breathed out a long sigh. "Ranma, are you alright?"

Ranma winced, tying a sash around the remnants of the gash on his arm. "I'll live… had enough time to use that Healin' Light on most of what he dished out," he sighed. "How about you?"

"I'm okay for now," she replied, glaring at the collapsed and battered body of Kuno. "Goddamned lunatic…"

"Yeah… but more than that," Ranma continued, "what I wanna know is, _what the hell was Kodachi up to?_ Geez Loueeze, is that crazy broad tryin' to get me indebted to her or something?"

"I was kind of wondering that too," Akane murmured, "but she said something about a debt Kuno owed her… and paying a debt to… us?" She spun on her heel. "Sis, have you got any clue about _what in the name of won ton soup is going on here?_"

Nabiki let out a long sigh. "All I know is what I learned last night, sis," she said softly. "You might as well know, she was the one who sent me that warning. She didn't exactly clarify _what_ was going down today, but she did tell me to give you two a heads-up. Wish I'd known about the cat gimmick, though," she groused.

"Why?" Ranma's face was stony. "Why bother to help out anyway? I woulda thought she'd be just as ticked as Kuno, after I shouted the two o' them down last week…"

"Little bro… let's just say that she had something of a re-awakening recently," Nabiki continued. "Long story short, and you both know this already, that family is not all there upstairs. Haven't been for a long time… course, there's some aspects of that even I didn't know about. Kinda like what your dad put you through on that training trip, if you catch my drift."

Akane blinked. "Nabiki, are you trying to defend what she's done to…"

"I'm just telling you what I learned online last night," Nabiki replied. "From what I can tell, she made up this whole 'Black Rose' thing as a sort of self-defense. Against the rest of her family." She paused, and Akane and Ranma's ears perked up to a sudden growing sound. The sound of police sirens in the distance.

"Sounds like the last piece of the puzzle is on its way," Nabiki sighed, popping the tape out of her mini-cam. "Kuno struck at you first, Ranma, and I've got it right here on tape. Clear self-defense. _And_ he drew blood- which I wasn't expecting, mind you, and you'd probably better get yourself to the school nurse. With that and the info I dredged up online, I think we can safely say you won't be bothered by Kuno-baby for a while."

"And if you don't mind my saying so, I'm relieved you were able to get over that blasted fear of yours in time, Ranma; you're going to need to work on that some more, however." All three of them froze at the sudden sound of a new voice and spun around to see a familiar man in a leather jacket leaning against the school gate. "Can't risk freezing up if you have to fight against another cat spirit."

"SHINGEN!" Akane snapped. "Don't _do_ that! Just about scared me to death there- and how'd you sneak up like that? And how long have you been here, anyway?"

The taller man shrugged. "Aura suppression, that's how I did it. And I got here just after those ninja did; that Hell Hound incident yesterday got me thinking, so I decided to come down and check the grounds to see if there's any sort of chaos attractor in the area. You did mention you've had a fair number of battles here, after all." He looked around the remnants of the fight. "I wasn't expecting anything like this, mind you."

"Yeah, well, neither were we until a while ago," Ranma sighed. "Can't believe I freaked out like that," he added quietly, looking at the ground.

"You weren't expecting it, Ranma; it's not that big a deal," said Akane softly. Just then the bell began chiming. "Oh, hell… now we've gotta get to class."

"You go on ahead, sis," said Nabiki. "I can take care of things out here- but you might need to tell some people what happened later today." Akane nodded as she and Ranma turned, grabbed their bags and sprinted into the building, leaving the broken Kuno in their wake. Nabiki smirked momentarily, then bent down to pick up the envelopes Kodachi had dropped on the ground. One bore Ranma's name, the other bore Akane's. She fingered them briefly and slipped them into her bag just as two police cars pulled up to the front gates.

Shingen said nothing, but shoved his gloved hands into his jacket pockets and slipped into the schoolyard unnoticed. _There must be some kind of a ley line conjunction here… something I missed when I was studying in that exchange program seven years ago. Granted, I didn't come to this part of Nerima very often, so perhaps I wasn't paying attention. But all the fighting that seems to have taken place here… there must be something that provokes it. Something that adds to the chaos stream. But what could that be… and why?_

He reached up and straightened his bandanna. _Guess I'd better find out before something like this happens again. And I'd probably better tell Ranma to start carrying his sword from now on._

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's note 12/28/05: Well, another chapter that turned out longer than I expected it to, but one which hopefully edges a few loose ends closer to being resolved. I'd mentioned in a previous chapter some of the skeletons lurking in the Kuno closets, and while I doubt I'll mention them all, they have, invariably, come back to haunt them. The reason I don't go into detail is that I leave it up to you, my readers, to wonder at exactly how twisted that family is. Selective memories and imagined circumstances seem to be common among them all- and perhaps this chapter did turn a bit dark at times, but necessarily so.

A kataginu is part of samurai attire from the Edo period, a sort of sleeveless vest with exaggerated shoulders. The family crest is usually emblazoned on each 'lapel'. It, plus the hakama, were worn over the kimono outside the house, or when expecting guests. This sort of dress can be seen in a number of samurai films and period anime- for example, in the original _Ninja Scroll_ movie.

Regarding the figure introduced in the previous chapter, Astaroth- while his name is indeed the name of a demon mentioned in various sources, it should not be taken as given that he is the same one. It is possible, but has yet to be revealed. (On an interesting side note, there are mentions of Astaroth in the games Soul Calibur and Final Fantasy II- he's apparently a rather popular demon.)

I hope everyone had a very happy holiday season; I hope this chapter did not turn out too rushed at points, but I wanted to get it out before the New Year. I'm not entirely sure when my next installment will be, as I do have a number of things I want to get caught up on. Hopefully it will be within my two to three week timeframe. Keep those reviews coming; each one makes this effort seem worthwhile. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	34. Out of the Frying Pan

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. This story is written for fun, not profit. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Please extinguish all flames, and ensure your seat belt is fastened at all times.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 34: Out of the Frying Pan…

--------------------

By the time second period was over and the lunch bell had rung, the entire school was buzzing. Some could hardly believe the news, while others were thanking the Kami for answering their private wishes. A number of people were ignoring the news altogether and focusing on the fight itself, in particular the chemistry and teamwork between Furinkan's most famous couple. But, inevitably, the discussion of the fight would lead back to the predominant news spreading across the campus. Faculty and student alike were either stunned by its suddenness, or secretly relieved at what it might mean.

Both Tatewaki Kuno and his deranged father had been arrested shortly after the conclusion of the fight. The former had been too badly beaten to attempt any resistance, and his broken jaw prevented him from saying anything other than a few gasps and screams of anguish- though whether it was directed at the policemen or the pain in his mouth, no one could tell. Principal Kuno, on the other hand, had been _quite_ the talker as the officers escorted him and his ukulele from the schoolyard. "Ey, bruddah, you best not be treatin' the Big Kahuna dis way! You boys goin' be real sorry!" he had bellowed in his grating Hawaiian accent. "I's one pillar o' dis community! I done nothin' wrong, an' you boys be knowin' dat too! An' why you go an' bus' up my little Tatchi over there? It's dat long-hair Saotome who be all de time messin' with him, go get dat kid instead! Why you gotta…"

Further arguments were lost on the increasingly frustrated Nerima Ward police as they shoved both Kunos into the back of a squad car and began rattling off charges: multiple incidents of assault and battery, assault with intent to kill, bribery and misuse of school facilities and funding(a set of charges that applied, in some instances, to both Kunos), documented incidents of sexual harassment(Tatewaki) and public humiliation(the Principal's hair clippers). To make matters worse, an anonymous tip had directed the P.D. to a server containing logged correspondence between the elder Kuno and a number of suspected crooked political figures, detailing transactions designed to hush up any local investigations into the Principal's bizarre interests and school policies. That, plus the videotape documenting Tatewaki Kuno's ambush at the school gate, left little doubt in the cops' minds that the Kuno clan- or at least, its dominant male members- were finished in Nerima.

Nabiki had remained at the front gate long enough to give a statement on what she knew about Kuno, as well as deliver the tape of the fight. She thanked both the officers who took her statement, then turned and delivered a sub-zero glare at the wounded younger Kuno in the squad car. _I always knew you were unbalanced, Kuno-baby… just didn't know how much,_ she had pondered with a shake of her head. _Guess I should've dug a little deeper back then; I never would've sold you those pictures of my sister or Ranma if I'd known it'd push you this far. Damn, I had my suspicions… I'd heard stuff whispered about you and your old man… guess that'll teach me to classify a moron like you as little more than a pest._

Somehow, she'd managed to arrive at class without the teacher putting her on bucket duty. Nobody else really seemed to mind or care.

--------------------

"Did you see the look on the Principal's face when they dragged him out the door?" "See it? How could anyone miss it, Daisuke? Talk about livid, I thought his face was gonna turn permanently purple!" "I always thought Kuno-sempai was a little strange, but I didn't think he could turn _that_ psychotic…" "Eh, it was a matter of time, Sayuri, you knew it and so did everyone else." "I heard they got hit with a rap sheet a mile long; how long you think they're gonna be put away for?" "I'll bet you anything this whole matter gets swept under the rug and they'll just be back again, worse than ever." "Are you joking? I'll bet those two get sent off to the loony bin instead of jail, it'll never get to trial…"

Akane sighed and shook her head. The local lunchtime rumor horde was out in full force; she had yet to find a single person that hadn't been talking about the front gate scene. _I knew Nabiki said she'd taken care of things, but I didn't think she'd be able to do something like that,_ she mused as she took another bite of her lunch. _She's pulled some pretty elaborate stunts before, but calling in the police on those creeps? Not that I mind, but still…_

"Remind me never to underestimate the pull your sister has," Ranma murmured emotionlessly as he took a slow bite of his own lunch. He sat to her right beneath one of the campus trees and had been staring at his bento for the better part of lunch.

Akane nodded slowly. "That's putting it mildly. Whatever it was she said she found online, it must've been pretty big to get the cops' attention."

Ranma sighed. "Hope that's the last we hear of those morons," he said before setting his half-eaten lunch aside and pulling his knees to his chest. Akane blinked, then shifted and turned towards him.

"I hope so too," she said before putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey… at the very least we did manage to give him a pretty painful send-off, right?" Ranma grunted, but didn't say anything. Akane's smile dimmed and she leaned forward, trying to look in his eyes. "Ranma… are you going to be like that all day?"

"Be like what? I'm not doin' nothing."

"Then what do you call moping under the tree with a half-eaten bento next to you? I know you're never one to waste food, Ranma" she shot back. "Is this about those stupid ninja? I thought I told you already, you couldn't have known he was going to do that! And besides, we got out of that mess just fine and you didn't lapse into Neko once, so why are you still…"

"That's not the point, Acchan," Ranma replied in a pained tone. "We got out of it, but we should've got outta it a lot faster. Maybe I didn't expect it, but damn it if I still don't get tripped up by that STUPID phobia at the wrong time every time!" he continued, punching the ground beside him. "Wound up exposin' myself to a couple cheap shots… not to mention that bastard's katana…" He reached up and traced the gash under his eye, held closed by a butterfly tape. "Shingen was right. I gotta get some sorta handle on this damn fear of c-c-c-cats… like he said, what if we gotta fight another spirit like that yamaneko and I freeze up again? What if ya can't shout me outta it, or I don't have a blindfold or…"

"Ranma, that's a lot of 'what if's' you're throwing out," said Akane gently. "What if this, what if that… what happened to the whole 'don't think, just do' philosophy? I thought we talked about this at the warehouse once already, didn't we?"

Ranma faltered and stared at the ground again. "Yeah, we did, but still… this is something I can't run away from, Akane. You know it just as well as I do." He heaved a heavy sigh and looked up into her eyes. "I have to figure out some way to control the Neko-ken. That blindfold only works so well, and I can't rely on seeing via aura sense alone. And besides… I'd rather you didn't have to shake or snap me outta it each time; that's kinda what let some of those goons snare ya earlier."

Akane paused a moment, then sighed as well. She knew his phobia was still a big sticking point with him, even with the blindfold buffer. She also knew there might be times he wouldn't be able to rely on it or the apparent calming effect of his clan sword, but she had no clue as to how to approach the issue. "You're right, Ranma. You're absolutely right… if only your father hadn't put you through that in the first place, this wouldn't be such a big deal." _I can't suggest some sort of psychotherapy right now, he'd never take it well… and I doubt Neko-ken is something a psychiatrist could treat easily, if at all,_ she thought to herself as she wrung her hands and looked up into his eyes. "I wish I could give you some sort of easy answer, but I can't… all I know how to do is bring you out of it, and even then I don't really know how that works."

Ranma allowed himself a small smile. "It's 'cause you're you, Acchan. That's all it takes." He paused another moment, then sighed and stood up. "But as far as getting control over the damn urges… that's something I think I gotta work out for myself." _Not just for myself, either… I don't wanna put you through any more of this c-cat fear than you've already been through,_ he thought quietly to himself.

"Ranma, where are you going?"

"Just a couple laps around the track. I gotta blow off some steam," he replied as he started towards the athletic field, pausing only long enough to send the Astral equivalent of a hug and a kiss in Akane's direction. _I'll see you back in class in a few, Akane. Love you._

Akane sat back and sighed, a small smile creeping onto her face. _Love you too… you big dummy,_ she replied in his mind's ear with an Astral embrace of her own. She watched him jog towards the track for a moment, then sighed and retrieved an envelope from her book bag. She flipped it through the fingers of her left hand idly for a moment before extracting the letter inside and shaking her head. She'd read it twice already, but was still unsure what to make of it.

She felt someone on the periphery of her senses and turned to her left, then relaxed slightly. "Oh, hey there Ukyo."

"What, you getting eyes in the back of your head now, Akane?" Ukyo replied as she approached the tree and sat down next to her former rival. Her hair was loose again, and while she was still wearing men's uniform pants, Akane could recognize the Furinkan High girl's uniform blouse Ukyo was sporting.

"Not exactly. You were walking so softly I almost didn't hear you," said Akane.

"Must be all that training you and Ran-chan got up to lately," Ukyo quipped as she brushed off her pants leg and looked up and across the field. "What's he doing, anyhow? I saw you two talking and then he just up and…"

"It's that bastard Kuno," Akane sighed. "That ambush at the front gate really got to him, he's just coping with it the way he knows best." She looked up and watched Ranma chugging his way around the track; she could tell he wasn't breaking a sweat despite a pace that put several school track members to shame. "Never thought Kuno'd be anything more than a big nuisance…"

"Yeah, I heard something about that from Hiroshi when I got here, something about that jackass bringing in two dozen ninja in cat masks. Didn't Kuno realize that could've been _suicide?_" Ukyo mused.

"I think he thought it through this time, though- those guys only pushed him so far, then pulled back again. Banged him up more than usual," Akane groused. "The thing I don't think he was expecting was what Ranma can do when he gets really angry." She paused. "And none of us was expecting his sister, either."

Ukyo blinked. "Kodachi? What about that psycho snob?"

Akane turned to look directly at Ukyo. "That's what I'm still trying to figure out myself. For once she wasn't trying to attack me or Ranma… she was attacking Kuno and his lackeys." She paused, then flicked the letter in her hand open. "And she left these behind just before she got the hell out of there."

"What is it?"

"An apology to me," said Akane. "Probably the first time in her life she ever addressed me as anything other than a 'peasant girl'. But even weirder, about the only time I've ever heard of the 'Black Rose' admitting to any sort of a fault… even if it is covered up by a lot of fancy words. Ranma got one of these, too."

"You're kidding… that girl said she was sorry about something?" Ukyo's face was a mask of disbelief. "Sorry for what?"

Akane shrugged. "Everything, pretty much. Attacking me, attacking my family, 'imposing mine own desperate desires upon one man whom I am not worthy of and who has so wisely refused my more violent advances', which I guess means she's sorry for trying to steal Ranma…"

"Bit of a wordy way of saying it, sugar," Ukyo said with a smirk.

"Pretty much. Something here about an attempt to 'escape the madness of my family, resulting only in a madness of my own design'…" Akane sighed and shoved the letter back into the envelope. "Somehow, I get the feeling Nabiki was right. There's something about that family of hers that isn't pretty, and I'm not so sure I want to know what it is."

"Wonder what made her change her attitude so sudden," said Ukyo.

"I'm not really sure. Might've been Ranma pushing the truth about his curse into their faces last week."

Ukyo nodded slowly. "Maybe… though with that family, you never can tell. I'm just glad they hauled that samurai wannabe out of this dump- and his old man, too."

"You, me and about the entire student body, Ukyo."

"And at least half the faculty," Ukyo snickered. Akane nodded and chuckled lightly in agreement. A brief moment of silence passed between them before Ukyo sighed and took out a box lunch of her own.

Akane looked over and blinked. "Hey, you're not making your lunch on the spot today?"

Ukyo shrugged, a neutral look on her face. "I didn't really feel like bringing the grill this time."

"Didn't feel like…" Akane shifted her position and stared. "Ukyo, I almost never see you without that grill at lunchtime, it's practically part of your body." She paused, and her expression turned concerned. "Is something wrong?"

Ukyo picked at her bento in silence for a moment, her face an emotionless mask, before sighing and looking at Akane again. "I don't know. Maybe. I guess. It's just been kinda…" She set the bento off to one side. "There's something I wanted to talk to ya about."

Akane frowned. _I knew it. She wasn't acting like herself yesterday before that whole Hell Hound thing, and now she's even more so…_ "Does this have something to do with yesterday? I didn't want to say anything, but you looked like you had something on your mind."

"Well, kinda…" Ukyo fidgeted. "Actually… I was sorta hoping to talk with you alone, but I couldn't find you till lunch, and Ran-chan was already sitting here…"

"Is this about Ranma again?" Akane asked, her frown beginning to deepen. "Or about you, me and him?"

Ukyo blinked, then waved her hands in denial. "No, Akane, that's not it at all, I didn't mean it like that! I told ya, I've already accepted that he wants you and you want him…" She shook her head and looked at her hands, not noticing the blush her words had elicited from Akane. "It's just… well…"

"Well, what?"

She sighed heavily. "I just wanted to talk to another girl about this… before I brought it up with him." She paused again, then looked up. "I… well… you know I've always felt pretty strongly about Ranma."

"Well, you did point that out whenever you had the chance," Akane replied with a wry smirk.

"Yeah, I know," said Ukyo, looking at her hands again. "But… now that I've had time to think about it… I… I'm not sure if what I felt for him was anything other than old friendships mixed with my old man's orders. I don't think what I felt really was _love_, if you get my drift."

"Huh? Wait, what makes you say that all of a sudden?" Akane asked, slightly confused. _First Kodachi says she was chasing a false dream, now you're saying you weren't in love with him?_ "Ucchan…" she said gently, hoping the pet name didn't sound odd coming from her. "What do you mean by saying you don't think you…"

"Because," Ukyo interrupted, "there's someone I think… that I think…" She paused again, then pulled her knees to her chest and hugged herself. "I think there's someone that I feel something for… that I didn't feel with Ranma…" she finished quietly.

Akane's eyes widened. _Did… did she just say… is she… is THAT what was on her mind yesterday?_ "Ukyo? Are you serious?"

The chef said nothing, but shrugged her shoulders haltingly. "I didn't wanna say anything in front of Ranma," she murmured. "Not right now, anyway… I don't even know what's really going on myself." She reached up and wiped her eyes. "Then everything went to hell yesterday with those dog-things, then that thing at the Neko Hanten… then after that…"

"After that, what?"

Ukyo turned to look at Akane again. "It wasn't a very good night at my place last night. Konatsu…"

"Huh? Konatsu? What about him?" Akane asked. Ukyo started to say something, then turned away again. Akane felt a subtle shift in the air around them, and started when she felt a strange tingling coming from Ukyo- there was no visible aura, but Akane remembered feeling a similar tingling when sitting on the sidelines of one of Ranma's fights with Ryoga. A tingling she had felt when Ryoga unleashed his Shishi Hokodan. "Did something happen to him?" she asked, concern etched on her face. "Is… is _he_ the one you're…"

Ukyo shook her head. "No, Akane. Konatsu left last night." She hugged her legs tighter to her chest. "Must've thought I was ignoring him again… and I never even got a chance to thank him for… for helping me out with that s-snake thing," she mumbled into her knees. _Gods, I feel like such a jerk… he never even gave me a chance to explain things, he just packed his things, wished me happiness even while he was crying…_ "I knew he had some sorta infatuation with me… I just didn't know it ran that deep…"

Akane shook her head. "You mean he just up and left?"

"I tried to stop him, try and talk it out… he just brushed it off and said he was 'leaving me to my happiness', and the worst part of it is he was so DAMNED polite about it!" Ukyo shook herself, then wiped her eyes again. "I didn't want to _hurt_ the poor guy; Kami, I still don't even know what I want right now…" She leaned back and thumped her head against the tree behind them. "I don't know if he thought I was still after Ranma, or someone else, or… maybe I just took him for granted so often I drove him away…"

"Ukyo, don't say that," said Akane gently. "It's probably just some misunderstanding. I don't exactly know Konatsu that well, but I've seen the looks he's given you. Maybe he just needs some time to think," she added, forcing a smile on her face.

"Maybe," Ukyo replied glumly. "I hope so… he was a little over-the-top sometimes, but he was a nice guy." She paused, then heaved another sigh. "I probably should've told him we were only ever going to be friends a lot sooner… last thing I wanted to see last night was that look on his face." Akane said nothing, but nodded sympathetically for a moment.

A moment later the silence grew awkward, and Akane fidgeted. "Did… did Konatsu say something about you liking someone else?" she asked hesitantly. Ukyo looked up, then shook her head.

"Nah. Didn't really say it, but I could almost see it in his eyes," she mumbled. "And the stupid thing is, like I told ya, _I_ don't even know if I know what I'm feeling. That's another reason I didn't wanna tell you when Ranma was around- he'd probably think I was fallin' for someone on a rebound, maybe blame himself in the process. And I'd rather not tell him till _I'm_ sure this isn't just a rebound thing."

"You think it might be?"

Ukyo paused, resting her forehead on the heel of her hand. "I don't know."

--------------------

_This is trickier than I thought it would be,_ Shingen mused as he pressed the palms of his hands together, eyes shut tight. _There's a lot of astral static around here, probably because of all the fights in the schoolyard. But… there's something else, something I can't quite put my finger on._

An errant gust of wind whipped across the roof of Furinkan High, where he had been for ten solid minutes on bended knee, giving the appearance of a man at prayer. He gritted his teeth and raised his index and little fingers into warding positions before sweeping his hands forward, exhaling as he did so. "Earth spirits, guide my eyes… show me that which remains hidden, sleeping in the depths below," he intoned in a low voice. "Clear mind… clear heart… clear spirit… cast off the mantle of shadow and come forth into the light." His eyes snapped open; quickly he pulled his hands in, jerked his right hand up and slammed it, palm first, onto the tiles beneath him. The pentagram sigil on his glove flared blue-white as his eyes changed from blue-green to golden. _"Kami no shisen!"_

Ki flared up around his hand for several seconds, a roiling swirl of blue-green light that gradually settled into a complex circular pattern. Intricate Nordic runes imprinted themselves around the outer circles as a blaze of kanji sprung up within the inner circles. The entire pattern pulsed once, then twice, and finally a third time before fading into a pale blue that cast shadows on his face. His eyes narrowed, peering into the circle as the kanji faded and changed, seeming to see something beyond the pattern.

"There's something there, alright," Shingen said to himself. "But… feels like it's in flux, there one moment, gone the next. Definitely not a ley line." His brow furrowed. "There's a distinct chaotic nature about it… yes… feels familiar, but only to a point." _I've felt this kind of energy from both Portals and Chaos Attractors, but this doesn't feel like either one of them._ He scratched his chin thoughtfully and let the light fade from his eyes. Moments later, the circular pattern around his right hand faded as well.

"An energy of this sort couldn't be the only source of this place's chaos patterns," he muttered. "It's too imperfect… too incomplete…" He stopped for a moment and looked up. "Incomplete… was something started here and never finished?" He bit his lip absently and glanced from one side of the roof to the other. "And some of that astral static… normal schoolyard brawls couldn't generate feedback that powerful, not to mention a few of the energy whorls scattered across the campus."

He paused, then chuckled. _Then again, I'd hardly call what I saw earlier a 'normal' schoolyard brawl. Ranma, my friend, you do seem to lead an interesting life… even without any Hunter obligations up to this point._

Something prodded at the back of his mind- a rather sharp and sudden prod. _What was that?_ Shingen stopped laughing and narrowed his eyes, his muscles beginning to tense.

_Something's moving. I can feel it, there's definitely a strong ki presence moving through the school._ He stood up quickly and grabbed his naginata from where it lay at his feet. _Yes, I felt it earlier today, too… it flared once, then fell again. Feels like it's coming this way…_ His eyes drifted to the left, towards the access stairway almost directly behind him. _It doesn't feel demonic, but there's something not right about it… doesn't feel like a regular human aura, but there do seem to be a number of 'irregular' humans around here… what is it?_ He gritted his teeth, reaching out with his aura as far as he could.

_It's decreasing now, but still coming this direction. Up the stairs now…_ He paused. _Wait a moment. That ki may not be demonic, but I've definitely felt those sort of patterns before… it can't be a…_ Just then the door flung open.

"I heard people talking about someone unusual walking around the campus!" came a shrill, childish voice. "Now who are you? And WHAT are you doing up here, for that matter? We've had enough troubles here just this morning without strange new students just sneaking in! Or are you even supposed to be a student? Heh, not likely, considering that jacket you're wearing, or that bladed stick in your hand! I'll bet you're some kind of _delinquent_, aren't you, mister?"

Shingen turned and stared at the childlike form of Hinako Ninomiya standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips and a juvenile scowl on her face. "Excuse me?"

--------------------

"I know it might not sound like much," said Akane at length, "but I'm pretty sure things'll work out one way or another, Ukyo. And, well… if you need anything…"

Ukyo sniffed, then let out a quick breath. "Thanks, Akane," she said, looking up and flashing one of her trademark smiles. "I figured you'd say something like that. Truth is, I kinda feel better already; guess I just needed to blow off some steam. Kinda like Ranma runnin' laps out there, ya know. I'll be okay." She reached over and took Akane's hand, giving it a firm squeeze. "Just hope you're right about Konatsu coming back sooner or later. I gotta at least talk to him."

Akane squeezed Ukyo's hand in return. "You sure you're gonna be okay?"

"Hey, I ran my own restaurant for over half a year by myself," Ukyo chuckled. "I think I can manage a rough patch or two, sugar."

"I hope so," Akane replied, putting her empty bento box off to one side. "And… what about this someone you were talking about, does he know?"

"I doubt it. Right now, I think I'd rather not mention anything till I'm sure this isn't some passing fancy, if ya know what I mean. I kinda jumbled things up when I jumped at Ran-chan way back, I'd rather not take a plunge again if it turns out to be shallow waters." Ukyo paused, then shrugged. "Or something like that."

"Yeah, I can understand that." _A little too well, actually… except in my case, I almost waited too long before I said anything,_ Akane thought silently. "Well… if something does happen with this 'somebody', I hope you don't let his earliest memories of you involve hitting him over the head with a table," she added with a wan smile.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Just… something I wish I could take back, that's all."

Ukyo paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly. "No need to explain, 'kane. And I don't think I'll have that particular problem myself- I prefer spatulas over tables, anyway." Akane gave her a startled look before smirking, then giggling. Ukyo started chuckling herself, and the two of them lapsed into a short fit of laughter that ended just as Ranma finished his last lap and jogged back to the tree.

"Hey there 'kane, Ucchan, what's the big joke? I miss something?" he asked, wiping sweat off his brow.

"It's no big deal, Ranma," Akane replied, motioning him to sit down next to her. "Girl stuff."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Which, I'm guessing, means I don't get to hear about it. I read ya loud and clear, none of my business," he said as he sat down again.

"Gee, Ran-chan, sounds like you're finally learning a few things," Ukyo snickered. "Keep it up, you'll be ten times better than yer old man in no time."

"Keh. I think I reached that point already, if you ask me."

Akane smirked. "Still have to work on that ego of his, obviously, but this time I'm inclined to agree with him," she said to Ukyo in a stage whisper. Ukyo said nothing, but couldn't help grinning.

"Geez, I thought you were on my side now, Akane!"

"I am, but that doesn't mean I don't get to joke around about you anymore, does it, baka?"

"Tomboy," Ranma shot back with a resigned smile. "Okay, I guess I'll let you get away with it for now."

"Good answer, Ran-chan," Ukyo snickered. "Always give the lady what she wants."

Ranma didn't say anything, but nodded and gave Akane a warm look. _I hope ya know I plan to do exactly that someday soon, Acchan,_ he whispered in her mind's ear. _Once mid-August comes around…_

Akane perked up and returned an equally warm look. _I'm looking forward to that… assuming I can wait that long,_ she answered in his Astral ear before shaking herself and trying to rid her face of a sudden slight flush. "Anyway… I was just telling Ukyo about those letters we got earlier today."

"Oh yeah, that envelope Nabiki found on the ground after the fight, right? She gave me mine between first and second period- but I gotta admit, she said something right after she gave me the letter, kinda surprised me more than that actual letter." Ranma shook his head. "I mean, it's one thing for Kodachi to tell me she's sorry about this whole mess, but it's another thing for…"

"For Nabiki to say she's sorry about the whole candid camera sales? Selling Kuno photos of each of us, and the fact that she might've contributed to part of what happened out there?" At Ranma's surprised nod, Akane continued, looking at the grass. "Yeah, she said the same thing to me when she gave me my letter. She was kind of in a hurry, but I could see the look in her eyes, and I know that's one of her 'I'm serious' looks. Whatever it was she found online last night, something tells me it wasn't something she'd been expecting."

Ranma nodded slowly. "She said something to the effect of she wouldn't have done it if she'd known…"

"I'm not blaming her for what Kuno did, you know," Akane continued. "He's always been off the deep end- I guess we just got so used to it that it didn't seem as bad as it was, that's all. He probably would've found a way to get those photos even if she _didn't_ sell them to him." She heaved a sigh. "She does make information her business, though… I think she was starting to think she screwed up."

"Hey, I thought he was just a pest myself, ya know," Ukyo piped up. "I doubt anyone coulda predicted he'd go off the deep end like that. Still wish I'd seen the fight, though, I'll bet you two put on a hell of a show."

Ranma paused, then shrugged and flashed a cocky smile. "Eh, wasn't that big a deal… one or two little distractions aside…" Suddenly his smile faded and his shoulders tensed up. "Wait a second."

A sudden rush of ki washed over Akane's senses at that instant and caused her to snap to attention mere seconds after Ranma. Prickling sensations began to creep up her neck, causing her hands to involuntarily clench. It wasn't the same as the Neko Hanten incident from the previous day, where it felt like ice was enveloping her- it was a mix of heat and cold, radiating in pulses from above. She gritted her teeth and glanced up at the school at the same time as Ranma. "What in the world is that?" she said softly.

"I don't know," Ranma replied in equally soft tones. "Doesn't feel as cold as some of what we faced lately, but there's something going on up there. More than one something, maybe." He blinked, a look of revelation creeping onto his face. "Hang on… I know what one o' those things is! For Kami's sake, I've been…"

Any further words were cut off as a sudden burst of gold-white light erupted from the roof of Furinkan High, sending light tremors through the school walls that startled more than a few students, but was not strong enough to break anything more than three coffee cups in the teacher's lounge. Ranma sprang to his feet instantly, as did Akane, shock etched in her face. Ukyo's eyes had grown to the size of rice bowls. "What… in… the… HELL… was that?" the chef blurted out as she staggered to her feet.

"I'm not sure, but something tells me there's a school disciplinarian who's on the rampage right now!" Ranma snapped as he broke into a run towards the nearest part of the school- which happened to be an outside stairwell. He was a few steps away from the stairs when he crouched down and propelled himself skyward, grabbing onto the second floor landing's handrail and flipping up.

"Disciplinarian? Ranma, you don't mean…" Akane shouted as she followed suit, springing into the air with a minimal amount of difficulty. She grabbed the railing and pulled herself up quickly, hoping desperately that no one was looking up her uniform skirt.

"I dunno, but I think we're gonna find out real soon," Ranma called from above, having already reached the third floor. Akane followed him, and within seconds executed a move that most Furinkan students would consider suicidal. Ranma flipped off of the third floor landing and onto the ledge just outside the nearest classroom window, then sprang directly up, grabbed the railing that ran the length of the roof and landed in a crouch on the tiles of said roof. Akane hesitated at first before shrugging her shoulders and following Ranma's old axiom of 'don't think, just do'. She kept her eyes firmly glued to the roof railing as she employed almost everything she had learned at the warehouse, with the result that she landed beside Ranma on the roof a few seconds later, a little shaky and more than a little curious as to _why_ she had followed him so readily. She filed the thought away for later reference as she glanced up and took in the sight before them.

Shingen was sprawled on the rooftop as if he had just been knocked backward, and was leaning on his naginata as he pulled up into a seated position. There were singes all over his face and jacket, and a highly exasperated look on said face. Directly in front of him was a blackened section of rooftop tile that suggested a bomb had gone off; on the other side of the blackened area lay Ms. Hinako in her adult body, eyes spinning in their sockets.

Ranma was the first to recover and jogged over to the Hunter's side. "Shin? Hey, what the hell just happened up here?"

"Bit of a misunderstanding," Shingen growled as he slowly rose up to one knee. "I think she figured me for either a roughneck student or a thug, then all hell broke loose." A second later, Ukyo finished making her way up to the rooftop herself, whereupon she audibly gasped and jogged over to Shingen's side just as Akane reached him as well. "Had to do a little defensive redirection of ki to cancel out that trick of hers… I wasn't counting on the result being quite that spectacular."

"You can say that again, Shingen," said Akane as she stared at the scorched section of roof. "Are you okay?"

"Lemme give you a hand there, Shin-kun," Ukyo piped up, slinging his right arm over her shoulders and pulling him up. "She didn't zap you too bad, did she? Can ya still walk?"

"I'll be fine," he replied with a tired smile. "Though I think she'll probably be a little shook up when she comes to." He took a breath, then turned to Ranma and Akane with a raised eyebrow. "Now, then… I don't suppose there's a reason you guys forgot to mention that there was a _ki vampire on this campus?_"

Ranma scratched the back of his head and looked away. "That's, uh… kind of a long story…"

--------------------

A pair of hands drew the curtains of the upstairs bedroom open, letting the afternoon light in and temporarily causing the hands' owner to wince slightly. _I think I've been asleep a little too long_, the long-haired man mused to himself. _Afternoon already. The lunch rush is probably long gone by now, and I spent the whole morning lying in bed._ He rubbed his eyes and blinked twice, one hand reflexively reaching up for his glasses before he remembered they weren't on his forehead any longer. A long sigh escaped his lips, followed by a sharp intake of breath as he reached down and pressed a spot on his stomach still covered by a bandage.

"Well, I suppose I had a reason to stay in bed," Mousse muttered to himself as he sat back down on the bed. "Still… I could've helped out a little bit, I don't see why the old crone had to put me to sleep for half the day."

He sat still for a moment and prodded the spot on his stomach. _Then again, I guess it's not every day you come within a hair's breadth of dying. If what they all told me was true, anyway… and I don't really have much reason to distrust Saotome and the others…_ He took another long breath and stood up again, stretching out his arms and trying to ignore the pinpricks of pain all along the scar. _I don't even know how this all started… was it that boy who ran into me yesterday? Or was it the curse acting on its own?_

"Mousse, what you think you doing?"

The tall Amazon paused in his stretches and turned towards the door. "Oh, Shampoo… I was just stretching out a little bit, that's all," he said, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I was feeling a lot better, and, well… can't stay in bed all day, you know…"

Shampoo shook her head, trying to focus on something besides the fact that Mousse was standing in front of her in a pair of blue pants and little else. "Mousse, great-grandmother told you no work until all better, remember?"

"I know she said that, but I'm feeling fine now! My wound's already closed over- how, I still don't know completely- and there's not much pain, so why shouldn't I at least get up and…"

"Because you do this too, too often, stupid Mousse," Shampoo retorted, stepping up to him and pressing her index finger against his sternum. "Get hurt, then stand right back up and maybe hurt self again! Maybe Ranma's friend Shingen close wound once, but act stupid and wound be open all over again; you think Shampoo want that?"

"No, but I thought that you might need help with the restaurant, so…"

"Mousse," Shampoo sighed, her expression softening, "when you going to learn to think of self?" She rested her palm on his chest and lightly pushed him back towards the bed. "Is very nice you want help out, but warrior who fight when badly injured is not only very brave, but very stupid. No try so hard, please." She reached up and took hold of his shoulders before pushing him down to sit on the edge of the bed. "I know you heal quick, but better safe than sorry. Just rest for while longer, please."

Mousse tried to say something in objection, but at the sight of her eyes, said objection quickly fell apart. "I… well… Shampoo, I just…"

"You just being stubborn," she chided playfully. "Shampoo know stubborn when she see it, Mousse." She paused, then looked down at the floor. "I stubborn, too… for too, too long…"

Mousse blinked. "What was that?"

Shampoo took a deep breath and lifted her eyes up to meet his. "Nothing… it not important right now, Mousse. Just get more rest." She paused, then hesitantly reached up and tousled his hair. "Maybe after dinner rush great-grandmother let you up and about."

"I'd appreciate that," said the taller man. "But what about the dinner crowd, are you sure you can handle it by yourself?"

Shampoo sighed. "I tell you once already, no worry. Great-grandmother take care of all, so no worry." She paused, then leaned over to give him a quick hug. "I check on you again later," she whispered before smiling and bouncing out the door, leaving a slightly shocked Mousse to fall back onto the bed with a small grin on his face.

_He more stubborn than I thought,_ Shampoo said to herself as she descended the stairs. _But his heart in right place._ She paused, her cheeks turning a mild pink._ I no think I look too closely at Mousse before… he look good without shirt on…_ She shook her head and continued downstairs, her thoughts shifting from the boy upstairs to having to train the new temporary member of the wait-staff downstairs.

--------------------

"So did ya find something or didn't ya?"

"Well I did find something, but not _quite_ what I was expecting. There's an awful lot of Astral static around that school, albeit without any sort of node or ley line attracting it. Although there did appear to be something beneath the school with energies similar to a focus point, but it wasn't complete."

"Wasn't complete? So what does that mean, there's been a half-finished ward underneath the school all this time?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Akane; the energies it emitted were so sporadic, I couldn't get a good lock on it. And that was after over an hour of trying."

It was late afternoon and Furinkan had let out for the day. After the initial shock of that morning and subsequent events during lunchtime, a relative peace had managed to settle over the school. Several school officials were scrambling like mad to find a qualified interim principal, and Miss Hinako reportedly spent some time in the infirmary recovering from a case of shock that she flat-out refused to discuss with anyone, but for the most part the day had progressed well. Shingen had departed the school grounds shortly after the Hinako incident; once the last bell rang, Akane and Ranma had found him a block away from the school, sitting on a bench.

"So basically what yer saying is that you don't know if there's something major on school grounds or not," said Ranma as he stretched his arms out behind his head.

"In a nutshell," the taller man replied with a nod. "For all I know, whatever I saw could have been an ancient consecration that's degraded over time. Or it could be the work of another Hunter from centuries ago that never got finished."

"And you think it might be what's been bringing all the fights into the schoolyard, all the crazies, everything?" Akane asked.

"Dunno. If I'd had a little longer to examine it, I'd have a better idea." Shingen paused, then shrugged. "Then again, it could just be simple coincidence, and all the Astral static might just be built-up background count from all the fights. It's a pretty hefty level of static to be the product of _normal_ fights, but then again…"

"Well, Kami knows there's been enough ki thrown around that place to light up Shinjuku for a month," Ranma quipped. "'Specially when you're dealing with Miss Hinako… and like I said, man, sorry I didn't tell ya about that. Kinda slipped my mind," he added with an embarrassed grimace.

"I just hope she doesn't wind up holding another grudge because of what happened up there," said Akane in a low tone. "She can get more than a little nasty if you cross her." She paused, then looked up. "Shingen… you said something about her being a ki vampire… does… does that mean…"

Shingen shook his head. "Actually, that's a term used for any being, demonic or not, who can drain life energy from another," he said. "I could tell from her aura patterns that she doesn't have demonic essence in her, I'm just not entirely sure how her patterns were altered to create that effect."

"Happosai," the two teens beside him groaned in unison.

Shingen raised an eyebrow. "You mean that little twerp who taught your fathers?"

"I dunno how much you know about that little twerp," said Ranma, suddenly looking very tired, "but he's got more tricks up his sleeve than you might imagine. Always finds some sorta cheap trick to get his way…"

"He runs around stealing women's underwear and gorging himself on everything in the house," Akane fumed.

"Not to mention twistin' yer arm and makin' you into an accomplice in whatever he wants to do…"

"Or doing something that'll humiliate you in front of everybody…"

"Okay, I think I get the picture," Shingen chuckled. "All I know is he tried to bust in on me when I was preparing my equipment for my first Spirit Purge; if those shield wards hadn't been in place he would've ruined a day's work." He reached up and loosened his bandanna slightly. "And you're saying he's the one who made your Miss Hinako into…"

"Pretty much, yeah," Ranma replied. "And it's been a bit of a headache for all of us… especially when he went an' goaded me into trying to seal her powers for his sake." He shook his head and made a disgusted face.

"Personally, I think he just wanted to see you groping her, Ranma," said Akane with a wry smirk.

"Hey, it's not like I wanted to, ya know…"

"I know that, but this is Happosai we're talking about, after all…" Akane blinked. "Hey, speaking of which… what do you suppose happened to him? I haven't seen him since you booted him last week."

"Beats the hell outta me, 'kane," Ranma replied. "But I'll bet you anything that little son of a bitch is gonna show up sooner than you think; he always pops up right when things get nice and quiet. And I think it goes without saying, it's making me sick. I HATE that old lech!"

"You and me, both," Akane sighed.

"Well, I for one would like to know how he learned to alter someone's ki patterns like that," said Shingen as he shifted the weight of his naginata. "That's not an easy thing to do; techniques like that're usually kept well sealed and out of sight."

"Eh, don't hold your breath. Little runt never gives up anything he doesn't want to," Ranma groused before crossing his arms behind his back and focusing on the ground in front of him.

"Hey… now that I think of it," said Akane, "how exactly did you manage to break Miss Hinako's attack in the first place? I remember Ranma countered it once with a basketball hoop somehow, but…"

"It wasn't actually terribly hard. I've dealt with ki vampires before, both demonic and human; all I had to do was force a ki surge at the appropriate moment. Flare the aura, focus it on a single precise point, and it creates a sort of reflective resonance that disrupts the drain process."

"Ah… kinda like stopping up a vacuum cleaner with a clump of hair or somethin'," said Ranma offhand with a slight nod.

"More or less; if I hadn't been distracted by the disparity in her aura and her physical appearance, I might've had better control over the surge. I don't usually let it get that… explosive…" Shingen shrugged. "Probably a good thing I got out of there when I did. No sense rocking the boat after something like that, eh?"

"I think it was pretty well rocked before you even showed up," Akane giggled. "Frankly, I'm just glad we had a reasonably peaceful afternoon for once. And after what happened this morning, I'm hoping we don't see Kuno again for a _long_ time. I'll bet he's kicking and screaming all the way to the psych ward this very minute; what do you think, Ranma?" She looked over and blinked, noting that his face was stony again and his attention seemed to be directed at a random spot on the pavement. "Uh… Ranma?" She reached over hesitantly and squeezed his hand. "Hey, Earth to Saotome. Are you okay?"

Ranma started slightly at her touch. "Huh? Oh, uh… sorry 'bout that," he mumbled awkwardly as he gripped her hand in his, giving it a return squeeze. "Kinda got lost in thought there for a moment."

"Well don't let your mind wander too far, it might not come back," Akane replied with a lighthearted giggle. Ranma answered by sticking his tongue out at her, which she quickly returned, causing the two of them to smirk and eventually laugh at one another. Shingen merely shook his head and rolled his eyes in pretend irritation.

After the laughs had died down, Akane looked up again with a more serious expression. _Ranma… what's wrong?_ she asked wordlessly as a Link opened between them. _I'm still getting used to this whole 'aura sensing' thing, but it feels like you shifted gears a moment ago. I thought you were edging into the Soul of Ice for a moment… was it something I said?_

Ranma paused, then lifted his head up to look more directly at the road. _It's not that big a deal, 'kane,_ came his answer. _Just that little thing I've been thinkin' about since lunch… and… well, when ya mentioned Kuno, it kinda brought it all back again. You know… that thing I need to figure out._

Akane paused, then nodded slowly. _Yeah, I remember… and I still wish there was some way I could help you with that; I know you said you wanted to work it out yourself, but…_

Ranma nodded, a crooked smile on his face. _Hey, it's not that I don't appreciate the offer, you know that. But I think this really is something I gotta do on my own. And I ain't sure, but I might have an idea or two on how to get started._

_Are you two going to spend the rest of the trek home chatting via a Link, or would you like to exercise your MOUTHS once in a while?_ came a third voice, breaking into their conversation not unlike a certain Chinese delivery girl's bicycle had once interrupted their daily trek to school. The two teens whipped around, shooting a pair of dirty looks in Shingen's direction.

"Hey, give us a break, man, we were having a _private_ conversation!" said Ranma indignantly.

"And besides, didn't you say we could use the practice so that we don't Link by accident?" Akane added in a miffed tone.

"Be that as it may," Shingen drawled as he straightened his lapels, "the quiet was getting a little too quiet for my taste; a little regular conversation is something I find infinitely preferable, Link or no Link." He flipped his weapon off his shoulder and quickly bound it into its silk wrapping, which he then slung on his back. "Incidentally, getting back to those energy patterns around the school, is there anything or anyone besides Miss Hinako that I should be aware of?"

Akane scratched her head. "Well, there is that one creepy little guy, Hikaru Gosunkugi, he's obsessed with Shinto magic and…"

"Wait a minute. Skinny kid, no chin, has a penchant for voodoo dolls?"

"Um… yeah, that's him…"

The taller man snorted. "Saw him earlier in the day, banging on about seventeen dolls that looked a lot like you, Ranma. The kid's nothing. Doesn't have any real ki to speak of, let alone any sort of power over it."

Ranma snickered. "That goes without saying," he said between guffaws, stopping only when Akane gave him a half-hearted swat on the arm.

--------------------

As the sun gradually disappeared behind the hillsides West of Nerima, making shadows long and dark, few if anyone could make out the faintest flicker of movement atop one of the more modest hills. It sat right at the edge of the timberline, a sort of cresting hill that peaked, then slowly dropped away towards the smaller hills below, affording a magnificent view of Nerima Ward.

The shadows stirred again, revealing three figures at the top of the hill. One of them was slight of build, only a few inches shy of five feet, walking with an unsteady gait as if unaccustomed to how to use its limbs. The second moved more assuredly of itself, a hulking brute of seven foot plus with a decidedly avian head and winglike protrusions from its shoulder blades. The two of them moved to flank the third figure, a man of six feet with long white hair that cascaded past his shoulders.

A light breeze wafted across the hill, letting the ivory-haired man's long white tunic billow out about him. His violet eyes narrowed and he smiled, smoothing out the long sleeves of his tunic with slow, even strokes of his hands. His left hand dropped to his waist, coming to rest on the smooth black cane tucked into the purple sash that served as a belt.

"Quite decorative, the way that idiot kendoist was betrayed," he sneered. "As well it should be. He had his uses, but ultimately would have been insufficiently powerful to be a true threat in our employ." He turned and nodded to the large figure. "Don't you agree, Kurowashi?"

The great black Tengu nodded, red eyes glinting in the fading light. "Perhaps if my Lord were to offer him a modicum of power," he mused in a rumbling basso, "he would be of use yet."

"A creditable thought, but no," said the white-haired man. "I have no patience for a cretin who continually fails to challenge the heir to Sagara, _and_ who had the audacity to let a Gate Key escape his grasp. No, that man is of no use to me any longer." He let his gaze wander across the Nerima skyline. "Not now that the Accursed One is almost within my grasp."

"When shall we claim the Accursed One, Lord Astaroth?" the shorter figure piped up in an eager feminine alto, sidling up to the man in white and gazing at him with glittering violet eyes. "Will it be soon? It has been sooooo long, many moons since I first set your plans in motion; how soon may I bear witness to his fate?"

"Patience, loyal viceroy… my dear Yoko," the tall man purred, reaching down and stroking a head of ebony hair. "All things in due time. You waited long and worked hard to be elevated from a mere imp… and you did your work so well, child. Surely now that you have been rewarded, you would be able to wait a moment or two more."

The smaller figure nodded. "Indeed, my Lord."

Astaroth paused, then looked up and smiled an evil-looking leer. "As it is… I feel you may not have to wait long after all. All is in readiness. Our allies are gathering. The Accursed One is approaching." He patted the black cane at his side as a master would a loyal dog.

"It has been many years, and Zangyaku is hungry. It will soon be time to feed."

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Note 1/19/06: First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Second, I'm afraid I missed my self-imposed 2 to 3 week deadline, but I have a reasonable excuse. I caught the bug that's going around and have been trying to cope via lots of Vitamin C and Dayquil. Plus, my imagination's been acting up again and I needed to give it a few kick-starts to get this chapter completed. I'm not entirely sure I put everything I wanted to in this chapter, and I only hope my writing hasn't suffered any because of the combination of work, outside interests and this stupid cold.

I will have more information on Kodachi and other members of the NWC in the next few installments, but suffice to say things are probably going to heat up in the next chapter. I won't tell exactly how, but there have been hints here and there. Thank you all for your continued support and keep those reviews coming, I could use the advice and/or encouragement. Not sure when my next chapter will be, but I'll try to be quick. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	35. Into the HappoFireBurst

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. This disclaimer has been printed herein and will appear in subsequent chapters courtesy of the Department of Redundancy Department. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 35: Into the Happo-Fire-Burst

--------------------

It was the same training hall, and yet not the same.

It was a lot larger, for one thing, with none of the nicks and chips one would have expected to find in the floorboards and rafters. It was also conspicuously devoid of decoration- no calligraphy prints, no weapon racks on the walls, no Tendo family shrine on the upper wall. There was only one decoration of note- a single wooden sign that hung on the far wall, near the door that seemed larger than the one Ranma remembered. The sign bore a single name in sweeping kanji- _Saotome Ranma, Master of the Saotome Ryuu._

The pig-tailed young man in question stood in the exact center of the dojo, clad in a pure white gi that almost seemed to breathe in time with him, bathing his face with a pale white-gold luminescence.

_This place… feels like I've been here before._ His eyes scoured the room, taking in every inch of it until they finally came to rest on the sign bearing his name. _Still… if this was the real Tendo dojo, Akane's name and her dad's would be on that wall, not mine. And it wouldn't have that title added on to it, either._ He folded his arms and breathed in deeply, then slowly exhaled again.

_I don't get it… I figured it'd be like that time we were sharing our dreams. I thought for sure I'd be in a carbon copy of the dojo, or maybe the park again… or the top of Phoenix Mountain, even… or that one time, right after Shin yanked that curse spirit outta me, with the images and the blue water…_ Ranma glanced around once more, seeing nothing else but the featureless, silent training hall around him. "Sheesh, maybe this really was a dumb idea. Dream your way into your subconscious, why dontcha… should've known this wasn't going to work. But then… why's this place feel so damn familiar…"

"Maybe because you've fought more than a few of your own fights in here, big guy?" Ranma snapped to attention at the sound of a very familiar female voice; turning on his heel, he pulled into a defensive crouch… and stared, wide-eyed, at the sight near the door. Sitting on top of the sign bearing his name, with a goofy grin on her face, was a chibi version of his red-haired female half, red Chinese shirt and all.

Ranma shook his head and blinked twice. "What the… who… how did…" He swallowed hard and took a few steps forward. "Who are you?"

The diminutive girl rolled her eyes and stood up on the sign. "Yep, that's about what I figured you'd say, Ranma. Never were a very articulate bunch, were we?" the diminutive redhead quipped.

"_We?_ Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Who the hell are…" Ranma stopped. He blinked and looked at the girl again as an odd sensation began to prod at him. He was still more than a little unnerved by the girl's sudden appearance, not to mention her size, but the longer he looked at her, the more familiar she felt. It wasn't anything like the chilling sensation he remembered from his fight with the redheaded succubus, nor what he had felt over a year prior when he had first become cursed. It felt more recent… more personal…

"Wait a minute… I… I know you, don't I?"

The mini-redhead giggled, then bounced off the sign, landing on his shoulder and leaning casually against his cheek. "Of course ya know me, ding-dong. You were the one that freed me from that prison in our spirit, remember?"

Ranma started. "You mean… _you're_ that girl I saw that day, the one I… that other half of me…"

"In a nutshell." The girl looked down at herself and shot him a crooked grin. "Of course, I _had_ gotten a little swelled out of proportion… partly because of that succu-bitch inside us, partly because of all those years o' being pushed away by yer old man's advice."

Ranma nodded slowly. "So it _was_ what I thought it was… yin and yang all along."

"Yep. And like I said, in our case that whole 'balance' issue kinda got out of whack. Genma-baka tried to make you repress me, then that plunge into the cursed spring gets me snared by that demon girl who starts balloonin' me way outta proportion whenever she got a chance…"

"Okay, I think I get the picture… sorta." Ranma paused again. "So what exactly does that make you and me? Are you supposed to be the angel or the devil on my shoulder, or what?"

The tiny redhead shrugged. "Not really… I'm just the part of ya that never developed the right way. You know… emotions, actually enjoying yerself, the kind of things you usually preferred doing in our alternate body?"

"Hey, wait a minute, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, gimme a break; you think I don't know you had an easier time doing some things as a girl than as a guy? Like showing a little emotion once in a while, or indulging that sweet tooth?" The redhead sighed. "And don't try denying it either; we're the same person, Ranma. I know you all too well."

Ranma started to say something and stopped, tried again and stopped again, eventually giving up and sinking to the floor with a groan. "This is definitely not what I was expecting when I hit the sack," he mumbled, resting his chin on one hand. "Look at me, I'm talking to… well, myself, I guess…"

"Hey, if it makes it any easier, just call me Ranko, okay?" the chibi redhead piped up as she slid down Ranma's left arm, coming to rest in the crook of his elbow. "Better than having us calling each other by the same name all the time."

Ranma nodded, then smirked. "Guess it's also better than calling you Yin-chan or something like that."

"Okay, that _does_ sound stupid," chibi-Ranko snickered. "Accurate, maybe, but stupid."

A moment of silence passed before Ranma glanced down at the mini-girl who was now rather cheekily lounging on his arm. "Uh… this is gonna sound like a really stupid question, Ranko, but if you're supposed to be… ya know, my female side, shouldn't you be… well…"

"Hey, just because we share the same body doesn't mean we _have_ to be the same size, big guy," Ranko drawled before hopping off his arm and onto the floor. "I told you, that spirit inside kept stretchin' me out of proportion; hell, there were a couple times _you_ were way smaller than _me_. Remember? The way ya got sometimes, acting more feminine than usual?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Ranma replied with a shiver. "Still can't believe I acted that much like a…"

"Like a girl, I know." Chibi-Ranko suddenly twitched her head and glowed bright blue- and an instant later, Ranma was staring at a full-sized Ranko, the exact height and proportion of his physical female body. "Fact is, the way we are right now, the fact we can still share the same body without that girl pokin' you in the brain all the while… it's probably about the closest we've been to balanced in years."

Ranma shook his head. "Balanced?"

"Like we've been talking about. Yin and yang. Where one ends, the other begins. Course, you being naturally a guy and all…" Another flash, and Ranko had returned to chibi form. "Now that you've taken control of our balance, I can be as strong or as weak as ya need me to be."

"Okay… I think I'm starting to get it. You mean I can actually tap into my yin without feelin' like it's gonna overwhelm me. Like how I used ta get scared that I was gonna lose myself to the curse, wind up turning into the exact opposite of who I am." At Ranko's nod, he continued. "And that's kinda what kept me confused a lot up till recently- especially when I had ta get around to dealing with who I liked, how they'd react and all that jazz. I remember it now… after Shin did that Spirit Purge thing, it was like a friggin' weight fell off me, 'specially when it came to talking to Akane 'bout how I really felt."

"Bingo."

Ranma shook his head and smiled slightly. "So then… why didja wait to show up till now? If I saw you once before in that dream last week, then…"

"Hey, I've been around… it's not like they're not my dreams too, right?" Mini-Ranko bounced up and perched, cross-legged, on top of Ranma's knee. "I just didn't think you needed a third wheel butting in just yet, especially when you and Akane started dreamsharing a few days ago."

"You saw that?"

"Hard to miss it, big guy; the two of you synched up pretty good." Ranko paused, then giggled. "I have to admit, that was a pretty steamy kiss session you two got caught up in, in-dream and outside of it. Even Akane-kun agreed with me."

"Akane-kun?"

"Her yang side, brainiac. She and I had front-row seats for that little heart-to-heart you two had." Ranko made a quick gesture in the air, and Ranma nearly face-faulted as he saw part of the dream he hadn't even been aware was part of his memory. He and Akane were beneath the tree in her dreamscape, and in the branches of said tree were two tiny figures, watching and giggling. One he immediately recognized as chibi-Ranko; the other was an equally tiny version of Akane dressed in her gi, with a white bandanna over her bangs, just as she usually dressed for a challenge match.

Ranma put one hand to his forehead and chuckled. "Are _all_ yin and yang opposites supposed to look like that?"

"Eh, don't ask me. But Akane-kun did say something about being glad to relax, not having to be so aggressively masculine all the time. Something about relaxing once she was sure of who you and I really care about."

"Really…" Ranma quirked an eyebrow for a moment, then just as quickly reassembled a serious look on his face. "Still, why show up and start talkin' directly to me all of a sudden?"

Ranko sat up straighter and looked her counterpart straight in the eye. "Because I know what you're trying to do here tonight," she said in a serious tone.

"And how are ya so sure of that?"

Ranko sighed and rolled her eyes. "News flash, baka. I'm you. I'm pretty sure I know what you've got on your mind, since I'm kinda part of that mind. Not to mention the dojo here is pretty self-explanatory." She gestured around at the walls, some of which were slowly sliding open. "You've fought more than yer fair share of personal battles in here, big guy. What your feelings are, some of your big-time fears, insecurities, the lot."

Ranma blinked and stared at the alcoves which were suddenly revealed, gradually realizing that each one contained a memento- or more precisely, a memory- of a time when he had been pushed to the limit mentally as well as physically. He saw several pictures of grueling training with his father- though several of them had been pushed to one side, overshadowed by images of Genma sprawled in defeat at Ranma's hands. There was an image of the seppuku contract and a statue depicting his mother as a cold, honor-praising warrior in samurai garb; the contract was in pieces and almost completely obliterated by a lingering fire, while the statue had its katana broken in three places. The samurai garb of the statue was falling away as well, replaced by a more motherly kimono, and the cold face had broken off of the figure's head, revealing a warmer, more caring face beneath. Along the other walls he could see memories and mementos of some of his more vicious fights- the battle with Herb, a statue of Taro in beast form being toppled by Ranma's Shooting Star Kick, the body of Saffron, pierced with blades of ice. Then newer visions, fresh in his mind… the night he confessed his feelings to Akane, and she to him. The defeat of the redhead, clad in ecchi ninja garb, that had been pulled from his body. Pictures of animosities laid to rest… Ryoga, the Amazons, even one of him, Akane and Ukyo.

"So it's more than just a dream dojo," he murmured at length. "It's sorta my own private trophy room."

"More like a catharsis room if you ask me," chibi-Ranko quipped. "And you came here to fight your biggest fear yet." She paused, then shivered. "Fact is, this thing's as much my monkey as it is yours, and neither one of us can deal with _it_ by ourselves."

Ranma swallowed hard. "It'd be a hell of a lot easier if I could just forget about the whole thing, ya know."

"Hey, this is just as much a part of you as I am. No one said the Neko-ken was supposed to be easy. Least of all being able to control it." A sudden grating sound at the far end of the dojo prompted both of them to lift their heads up and stare as two large sections of the wall began to slide apart from each other. Ranma blinked, then shivered. A large reinforced wooden door lay beyond the thin rice-paper walls, with a single narrow window set with iron bars. Beyond the bars, a feral growl was issuing forth.

"That… is that what I think it is?" Ranma muttered in a trembling voice.

Ranko nodded, hopping off his knee and growing until she was roughly the same size as him. "That's what you're here to face," she replied. "Or more appropriately, what we're here to face."

The sound of her voice seemed to prompt something behind the door. The growls suddenly jumped in their intensity, followed by a crash and a battering sound as _something_ lunged at the door. The bangs sent further shivers across Ranma's back as he staggered to his feet, eyes widening as the door rattled on its hinges.

"Great Kami… how…" He hurriedly wiped a stream of cold sweat from his temple. "How do I… how do _we_ deal with… with… ah geez, why'd I have to rush into something like this…"

"You know as well as I do, we can't keep putting this off forever," Ranko murmured, a slight tremble in her voice. "That… _thing_… it's one more facet of you, and it's not going to go away- thanks to that stupid panda. You can't just ignore our neko side and hope it'll get better on its own, Ranma."

"I _know_ that," Ranma snapped, his eyes narrowing. "Ya don't think this is why I wanted to try dealin' with it like this in the first place?" His breathing began to quicken. "I… I'm just not sure how I'm gonna wind up taming this thing, or where I'm supposed to start…"

"Where _we're_ supposed to start." Ranma blinked and glanced at Ranko, who was staring back at him with fire in her eyes. "This isn't something you can deal with using just one part of you. I told you, this is my fight as much as it is yours." She took a breath, then turned back towards the prison door before them. "You know it, don't you. Yin and yang. Separate, each has their own power. Together… possibly more than you can imagine. And what's more…" She nodded her head towards the floor. "Don't forget another part of us is waking up as well."

A sudden golden glow coming from the floor caught Ranma's attention. He glanced down and stared, wide-eyed, as a sheathed wakizashi rose directly out of the floorboards, wreathed in a scintillating light. He blinked as he realized it looked like an exact copy of the Sagara clan sword- only this sword appeared to have additional blurred kanji scripted along the saya. It was barely legible, yet somehow Ranma could feel it striking a note inside him somewhere. He couldn't understand what it meant, only that he felt drawn to it like iron to a magnet.

"Is that… that's the sword that Shingen…"

"That's the gift of our bloodline," Ranko said as she rested a hand on his. "The gift you chose to accept. It's ours to use… and it's time we used it." The pounding on the prison door grew louder, and both Ranma and Ranko cringed as the hinges actually bent from the force.

Ranma tore his eyes away from the door and back to the sword in front of him. Suddenly he blinked and peered at it more closely; for an instant, the sword had blurred and become two swords. Just as quickly, it returned to focus and its aura pulsed, seemingly in time with Ranma's own heart. He looked up at the shaking wooden door again, then looked into Ranko's eyes and nodded.

"No going back," he muttered. "Let's do this." His hand snapped out and grasped the wakizashi by the hilt.

A sudden pulse ran through his arm as the sword literally throbbed with power, and the kanji on the scabbard suddenly grew clearer.

The wooden door burst open. Both Ranma and Ranko lifted their eyes up, staring at the figure within… a savage, feral man-beast covered in red and black striped fur, two sharp ears sticking out of a mop of black hair with a waist-length pigtail, and deep blue slitted eyes. A guttural snarl escaped its throat as it sprang forward into the dojo, claws bursting forth from its fingers.

Ranma swallowed hard and drew the sword from its saya. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ranko pulling into an identical stance- and an identical sword in her hand. She locked eyes with him and gave him a nod, which he returned.

The battle had begun.

--------------------

"Ranma…"

The pig-tailed youth stirred. The chaotic sensations of the dream dojo began to depart, leaving him swimming momentarily in the familiar darkness one encounters between dreams- neither fully asleep, but hardly awake. The darkness blurred as new sensations began to creep over him. The lingering chill that was still pervading his system slowly ebbed away, replaced by the familiar feeling of a futon and blankets… and a comforting warmth that seemed most familiar.

"You stupid baka, you'd better be okay…"

_Who…?_ Ranma stirred again as he felt something caress his brow. _Is that… Akane?_ He wrinkled his nose and twisted his head to the left, the last remnants of sleep falling away from him. Gradually the sensations around him grew stronger as he reached out with his aura, bit by bit. _It is her, I'd know that aura anywhere… but there's something wrong with it. Is… is she scared?_

His eyes cracked open as he shook his head slightly, clearing what sleep remained out of his system. He looked up, bleary-eyed at first, to see Akane looking back down on him with a nervous look on her face. He blinked, finally realizing his head was in her lap and she was stroking his hair.

"A… Acchan? Is somethin' wrong?"

The short-haired girl started, then heaved a long, relieved sigh. "You big dummy, you just about scared the whole house to death!" she said in a chastising voice, giving his shoulder a light swat.

"Huh? What do ya mean, scared the whole house?" Ranma groaned as he pulled himself up on his elbows. His eyes darted towards the windows, noting for the first time that the sky was still darkish gray. "Hey, what time is it anyhow?"

"About ten minutes till sunrise, little bro," was the mumbled reply of Nabiki, who was slouched in the doorway with a cup of instant coffee, Ice Queen glare at the ready. "Little bit of advice. Whatever it was you ate at dinner last night that gave you a screaming nightmare like that, don't eat it again. I _don't_ like being roused at this ungodly hour." She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. "And 10,000 yen for interrupting a perfectly good dream, kiddo."

Ranma quirked an eyebrow at her and smirked tiredly. "Put it on my tab, Nabs."

Nabiki responded with a yawn and a roll of the eyes. "As you wish… and I'm tacking another 5,000 on your tab for calling me 'Nabs' again." She turned on her heel and slouched back to her room, knocking back her coffee in one huge gulp.

"Guess I forgot she's never been a morning person," Ranma quipped, turning his head to face Akane again, then blinking in surprise when he saw her biting her lip.

"Well, that and the fact it's not really morning yet," replied the youngest Tendo with a slight edge in her voice. "Ranma, did you really have to do what you did _right then and there_? Couldn't you wait and at least _warn_ the rest of us?"

"W-what did I do?"

Akane sighed and scooted closer. "Look, it wasn't that hard for me to figure out what you were up to, the way you left dinner last night to go 'meditate' in your room. You were trying to deal with that 'thing' we talked about, weren't you." She saw him wince guiltily, then nod. "I wasn't sure of it then, but I could tell you were tossing and turning by the time I went to bed myself… I heard you cry out a couple times, but you'd always come out of it before, so…"

"Wait a minute- what do ya mean, come out of it before?"

Akane flushed slightly. "On a few of those trips we went on… I… I kind of heard you having dreams involving… you-know-whats, and crying out for help once in a while. I didn't want to embarrass you; I promise I never told anyone," she added hurriedly, "and at first I thought you were having another one and that you'd come out of it." She paused, then looked up with haunted eyes. "But then that scream a little while ago…"

Ranma shook his head. "Damn. That's something I wasn't expecting…" He glanced up. "Did I really wake everybody up?"

"Just about. Daddy's currently in front of the shrine praying his future son-in-law isn't losing his mind," Akane replied dryly. "Kasumi's trying to calm him down, I don't know what Nabiki's doing now besides fuming at you for waking her up." She reached over and placed a hand firmly on his shoulder. "Ranma, what happened? I know you said you wanted to work this thing out by yourself, but that scream… it sounded like something was tearing you apart, for Kami's sake!" She tried to give him an angry look, but an errant tear spoiled the effect.

"Akane… I'm sorry, I wasn't tryin' to scare anyone, 'specially not you…"

"I know you weren't trying to, but you could've saved me a lot of trouble if you'd told me what was going on in the first place, instead of me having to piece it together bit by bit." She sniffed. "Besides… what if… what if something happened with whatever you were doing and you'd gone Neko permanently? Did you ever stop and think about that?"

Ranma nodded slowly, reaching up and placing his hand on the one she had placed on his shoulder. "That's kinda the point of why I did what I did," he murmured. "I had to deal with this before it got the better of me."

"I know that, you said the same thing yesterday," Akane replied. "But _what_ did you do- or dream- that made you scream like that?"

Ranma sighed, brushing his bangs out of his eyes with his free hand. "Had a little chat with myself, that's all. It's not really that easy to explain… let's just say I figured the best way to deal with it was from the inside out. Face what was buggin' me directly… if that makes sense."

Akane blinked, then shook her head and sighed as well. "I'm not really sure what makes sense these days," she replied with a humorless chuckle before looking up and gracing him with a weak smile. "Never mind, it's too early anyway. We'll talk about this later… but tell me one thing. Are you all right now? Or am I going to have to worry about you losing it at random?"

"I'm fine, Acchan. I just had something throw a temper tantrum in my head for a bit; I'm okay now."

"Are you sure?"

"If I say I'm sure, then I'm sure." He paused, then took hold of her arm and drew her into a gentle embrace. "Thanks for bein' concerned, though."

She nodded, then hugged him back. "Don't scare me like that again, okay?" she whispered in his ear, receiving in return a nod and a kiss on the neck that tickled her slightly and got both of them giggling for a moment. Ranma pulled back to look at her and was about to say something, but was interrupted by a hand knocking on the door frame.

"I must say, I've had my fair share of unusual wake-up calls in my time," said a still-groggy Shingen as he stepped just inside the room, clad in a grey urban camo t-shirt and blue sweatpants. "And this is one I think I'll have to add to the list. Something wrong?"

Ranma shook his head and staggered to his feet. "Not at the moment, Shin. Just had a bad dream."

"An intentional bad dream," Akane piped up as she stood up, giving Ranma another stern look. "Could've at least warned me…"

"Come on Akane, I said I was sorry!"

"Intentional bad dream…" Shingen mused, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway. "You were dream-training, then?"

Ranma shrugged. "Somethin' like that. Hey, you're the one who said I had to get a handle on my fears, Shingen."

"That I did," the taller man replied. "Though I wasn't implying you needed to do it from the inside out, Ranma. Dream-training is pretty damn useful, especially with facing a fear, but unless you're also dreamsharing with another it's a bit of a risky gambit. If someone's with you, you have a safety net if the dream threatens to overwhelm you."

"See? You should've told me!" said Akane smugly, swatting Ranma on the arm, at which he shot her a sour look and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Okay, I get the message. Don't try it again unless someone else wants to dream along with me. Can do, sir," Ranma quipped in a sarcastic military tone, complete with a facetious salute. Shingen merely chuckled and waved him off.

"Well, you certainly _sound_ okay, so I'm guessing whatever you dreamed hasn't done any severe lasting damage." Shingen paused, then gave Ranma an inquisitive look. "Say, just out of curiosity… do you recall what happened? Or if the dream-training did what you intended?"

Ranma stretched his arms out, undid a few cricks in his neck and yawned before shooting Shingen a smug glance. "Did what I intended… well, that I don't know yet. All I know is, it got plenty rough… but I'd really rather not go into that right now. Come to think of it… I'm not really sure of everything that happened, it's all kinda fuzzy." He turned to Akane. "I think I'd rather get a little exercise in before the day starts. What do ya say, 'kane?"

Akane paused, then smirked and shrugged. "I say you and I are still going to talk about this later today, but there's also no way I'm gonna get back to sleep now. Might as well make the best of it, I guess." She took a quick step forward so that her nose was practically touching Ranma's. "Sparring match in the dojo, and the loser has to wash the winner's back."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "Are you tryin' to give me an incentive to lose, then?"

"I thought the great, all-powerful Ranma Saotome never loses!" Akane giggled, then poked him in the ribs. "Tag! You're it!" she added before spinning on one heel and dashing out of the room. Ranma shook his head in amazement and sprang after her, barreling down the stairs at a breakneck pace. It wasn't long before the sounds of laughter and shinai cracking against one another began to echo through the dojo, accompanied soon after by the Tendo patriarch's sobs of joy at Ranma's apparent 'recovery'. A short while later, the two teens were joined by a third as Shingen decided to teach them a more elaborate sword kata- after retrieving their respective clan swords without Soun noticing. Kasumi merely smiled and hummed quietly to herself as she took her time preparing the morning meal.

Nabiki, for her part, had jammed her headphones on and was grumbling about the fact that the sun hadn't completely risen yet.

--------------------

"How many times do I have to pound it into yer thick skull? GET LOST, TSUBASA!"

It was just past 11 AM, and had for the most part been a relatively quiet morning, but said quiet had finally been shattered as an irate Ukyo proceeded to pummel a nearby signboard senseless- a signboard with a familiar redhead peeking out of the top. Tsubasa had once again attempted to nuzzle up to Ukyo's leg while she was hanging out her shop curtain, with the result that he received five new lumps on his head. The fuming chef had then pulled her spatula back and smacked the offending costumed masochist with the kind of force one might expect from Barry Bonds. The end result being, several Nerima residents proceeded to phone in reports of a UFO as Tsubasa rocketed over the skies, all the while professing his love for Ukyo.

"Jackass," she snarled through gritted teeth. "When is that dork ever going to learn?"

"Having another argument with the local garbage, are we?"

Ukyo started, then whipped around to see a certain brown-haired man, now dressed in jeans and his ubiquitous leather jacket, leaning against the restaurant's door with an amused smile. "Oh, hey there Shin-kun," she said, returning his smile with an awkward one of her own. "Nah, it wasn't garbage today, just a signboard costume. Tomorrow it'll probably be a phone booth."

"Or a potted plant, perhaps?"

"Yeah, that's nothing new to him," she chuckled, leaning casually but also unsteadily on her combat spatula; she was still adjusting to the different weight of her new weapon, as her original had proved to be too damaged to repair. "So… what brings ya down this side of town, sugar? I wasn't really expecting to see you today."

"I suppose I could say the same for you," Shingen replied, putting both hands in his pockets and ambling towards her. "Aren't you supposed to be in school right now?"

Ukyo shrugged. "Hey, a girl's got to make a living, ya know. I can't just leave the lunch rush in the lurch, can I? I've been doing it this way for months now- take a day or two off to work full-time, do some make-up work when I get back. Not like the principal made much of a fuss about missing a few days."

"Yes, I can see that," Shingen chuckled. "Must make for a tight schedule, shuffling between school and work like that."

"Eh, it's not that bad." She glanced at the pavement and scuffed some dirt with the toe of her shoe. "Just got used to it, I guess. When you're training and pretty much living on your own- and no real family, either- you either sink or swim, ya know?"

"Well, I do know what it's like to be on my own for long stretches, at least. I can safely say my life hasn't been a real bed of roses, but I knew that going into it."

Ukyo blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess it must be kinda rough, being a Hunter… fighting weird things, bouncing from one place to another…" She paused, then giggled. "Though I can't say I haven't had a few of those experiences myself. Remind me to tell you what happened to me and the gang on Toma's island sometime."

"I think Akane mentioned some of the weirdness you guys encountered," Shingen replied with a smirk. "Sounds like it was… _interesting,_ to say the least…" Just then he stopped and shot a quick glance to the left, followed by an annoyed sigh. "Hold on a moment."

"Huh? What's the big deal?"

"This." He jammed his left hand into his jacket; an instant later his arm snapped outward and a runic throwing dart flashed through the air, heading straight for a telephone pole across the street. A sudden, short squeak erupted as the knife caught an invisible _something_ right in front of the pole; the air flickered, revealing a bug-eyed creature with reddish skin and an overdeveloped jaw, not unlike a fanged, horned simian on amphetamines. A second later, the creature imploded into a cloud of white, sparkling shards that quickly disappeared.

Ukyo stared. "What was _that_? And what was it doing outside my restaurant?"

Shingen straightened his lapels. "Just a stupid lesser oni. Ugly as hell, and that's their strong point. About as irritating as imps, they love to make things 'interesting' for humans. Maybe he was the one who decided to bring that Tsubasa fellow back to visit."

Ukyo shook her head and groaned. "That sounds just about crazy enough to be the truth," she mumbled. "Do those things show up around here _all_ the time, by any chance, and nobody really notices?" _It might explain a few things if they did… but Kami, talk about an ugly little freak…_

"Sometimes they do, sometimes not. It varies… though with the chaos stream winding through this ward, they're probably more commonplace than some place like the Ginza." Shingen leaned against the door frame again and folded his arms. "Certainly can't say Nerima ward isn't a boring place," he said jokingly.

"Yeah, you can say that again," Ukyo replied. She looked up, meeting his eyes with hers for a brief moment before looking away again, putting her hands together behind her back and leaning on the door. "So… I guess you just came down this way looking for a creep or two to knock around, huh."

"Well… actually, I was just out for a walk, the creep I wound up noticing out of reflex." Shingen paused, then smirked. "Like I said, I wasn't expecting anyone to be around at this hour… but I'm certainly not complaining about running into you again."

Ukyo blushed, scratching the back of her head. "Heh… if I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to make a pass at me, Shin-kun," she giggled, eliciting a friendly laugh from him in the process. "And you're right, under the circumstances right now there wouldn't have been anyone here- least now that Konatsu's flown the coop," she added, her smile turning wan.

"Any news about where he went? I know you said yesterday you were a little concerned…"

She shook her head. "Don't know where he went, but I found a note from him on the grill this morning," she said. "Guess he musta stealthed in when I was asleep. Anyway, effectively he said he needed some time to think… and that he'd be back at some point or another to talk, so that's a little relief… better than none at all. At least I know he's not mad at me." She straightened up and brushed her hair back. "What can I say, he may have been annoying at times but I'd hate to lose him as a friend."

Shingen nodded. "I know the feeling. It's never easy, is it… losing a friend."

"And sometimes harder to make new ones." There was a pause, followed by Ukyo stretching her arms over her head and bending down to pick up her awning. "Well, I guess I can't stand around all morning, I got a restaurant to open, Shin-kun." A quick clack, and the awning was in place. "Say… not to press or anything, mind you, but… you hungry?"

Shingen blinked and scratched a spot just under his bandanna. "Well… actually, now that you mention it I guess I could use a bite."

Ukyo's smile perked up a notch. "Then how 'bout I make you my first customer of the day? My treat."

"I'm not exactly sure a treat counts as a customer, Ucchan," Shingen chuckled.

"Ah, who cares? C'mon in, pull up a stool, big guy," she replied, reaching over and tugging playfully on his jacket sleeve. He gave her a melodramatic sigh and a 'resigned' shrug, allowing her to drag him through the doorway- or would have before he suddenly tensed up and dug his heels into the floor.

"Huh? Hey, sugar, what's the big deal now?" Ukyo glanced up at his face, her smile disappearing as she saw a severe look in his eyes. For a moment, Shingen said nothing, but turned to face outside and scanned the street in both directions slowly and methodically. "What is it? Something wrong?"

Shingen bit his lip. "I just felt something," he said in a low voice. "It wasn't there for very long, but there was something inherently _wrong_ about it. I didn't get a chance to discern if it was human or demonic… but there was definitely a large quantity of negative energy in the area for a split second." He shook his head. "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

--------------------

"I gotta admit I felt pretty goofy carryin' this thing slung on my back all day; thought for sure Hinako-sensei was gonna zap me just for bringing it into class."

"Ranma, how many times have people brought bokkens, bonbori, combat spatulas or weighted umbrellas into Furinkan and gotten away with it?" Akane shifted her book bag in her hands, her knuckles brushing against the dark blue saya of the Saito wakizashi. "Yeah, I felt a little weird carrying this too… more because of the looks we got from the other students, rather than teacher reactions. Besides, Shingen carries that weapon of his around all the time."

"I know, it just felt weird going from just a book bag to a bag and a sword in tandem. I'm still getting used to using the damn thing."

They were walking home after what qualified, to them, as the most normal day they had ever had at Furinkan. For the first time in over a year, there had been no Kuno challenges, no walls busted open by Shampoo's delivery bike, no pavement needing repairs due to Ryoga's 'prepare to die' spiels, nothing at all. Not even an impromptu 'rule enforcement' by the principal. There was still a good deal of consternation concerning who would take over administrative duties; for the time being authority had been delegated to a nameless vice-principal who had faded into the background when the elder Kuno returned from Hawaii. But aside from that and a number of students looking much more relieved and happy than they had been in months, it had been an incredibly peaceful day.

The clan swords Ranma and Akane had carried- on Shingen's insistence, citing the Hell Hound assault and a need to be at the ready at all times- had caused a slight amount of surprise and more than a few stares from fellow students, but as Akane had pointed out, it was as if the faculty had a blind spot where they were concerned. _"They probably expect something like this after all that's happened,"_ she had quipped when they put their outdoor shoes away. Ranma had shrugged, but didn't say anything at the time. And now, walking home, he couldn't help but smile at the peace and quiet the two of them had had. He'd even managed to get some _studying_ done, much to the delight of Hinako-sensei… who had given the class a stern lecture, informing them that as of that day, leather jackets had been prohibited while on campus grounds for reasons she had refused to elaborate on.

"You know, I thought for sure something was going to pop up all day long," Akane mused. "I kept trying to reach out and 'see' with my aura, like we'd learned… took me till lunch to relax and just enjoy the peace."

"Yeah, me too," Ranma replied as he inched a bit closer to her. She looked up at him, smiled and gingerly slipped her arm around his- another thing they were still getting used to doing in public. "Although, you gotta admit… peace and quiet was a nice break, but it got a bit dull after a while."

"I figured you'd say something like that. Always looking for something else to pop up, aren't you." She paused, then smiled a bit more. "Well, I don't know if it was the peace and quiet or something else, I'm just glad I didn't have the same experience in last period that I usually do."

Ranma blinked. "Last period? What are you… Oh. THAT class."

"Right. Home Economics. The one where everyone winces when I step in the door." She sighed. "I was scared to death I was going to screw up again… but this time I tried following a little advice. And one of the rules you taught me in our sparring matches."

"Huh?"

She shrugged. "The one where you lose your cool and you lose the fight. I tried keeping that in mind- and I also tried NOT to turn it into a big deal." She lifted her book bag up and undid the clasp- a bit tricky to do with her arm still through his- and opened the bag just enough to see inside. On top of her books was a small bag of irregularly-shaped chocolate chip cookies.

"You… you made those, 'kane?" For a fleeting moment, memories of another batch of cookies flickered at the back of his mind, ones that had been okay at first but had laid him out with an upset stomach shortly afterward. He bit back the memory- and a sarcastic comment that normally would've just tumbled out into the open. _Okay, calm down… it's not like she was tryin' to be a bad cook, an' besides she did mean well… even if she was forcing the stuff down my throat half the time. Don't say anything yet, maybe they ain't so bad…_

"They didn't come out quite the shape I wanted, and I may have overcooked a few just a bit," Akane said softly. "But I tried a few of them myself, and they aren't really that bad… not the best, I'll admit… but I think they're a lot better than my last tries." She looked up. "It's not much… but it's a start, and I have been wanting to get better…"

There was a significant pause as the two of them walked on in awkward silence. Ranma looked at her with a neutral expression, then at the cookies. Then back to her again, then the cookies again. Akane sighed, her expression beginning to fall. _Damn… after all those botched things I pushed on him, I shouldn't really expect him to be that excited about these… but I DID try them…_ Her internal rant came to an abrupt halt as Ranma's other hand came into view, reaching into the bag and slowly taking out a single cookie.

"Um… you mind if I give one o' these a shot?" He gave her a warm version of his usual crooked smile. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as the saying goes."

Akane didn't say anything, but simply nodded as he popped the cookie into his mouth and chewed.

Her eyes widened a bit when he didn't turn sickly colors after swallowing; her smile widened more than a bit when he smiled and made a slight 'mmm' sound. _I… I did it… I actually made something edible… and he LIKED it!_

By the time the two of them arrived at the gates of the dojo, they had eaten the whole bag of cookies- even the overdone ones- and were both in a very good mood. Ranma cracked a joke about having to apologize to Kasumi in advance- about not being able to finish dinner, since the two of them had had dessert already- which got Akane laughing a bit and sent her ego upward a few more notches. She mentioned trying other things- starting simple at first, then moving up to harder things once she got the hang of it. "This time I'm going to do it the right way, not my old way," she added as they entered the foyer and kicked off their shoes.

"We're home!" Ranma called out, taking a moment to discreetly smuggle their swords into the broom closet- Soun was still unaware of their existence and their bloodline significance, and the two of them had wracked their brains trying to come up with a way to break it to him that didn't involve fainting or quarts of tears.

"Welcome home, you two," said Kasumi as she entered the hall from the kitchen with several teacups. "Was everything okay at school today?"

"The best," Akane replied, still sporting a huge smile.

"Well, that's certainly good to hear; it's about time you two had a change of pace from what usually happens at that place." Kasumi turned and bore the tea tray towards the living room, then stopped and turned back briefly. "Oh, your parents arrived a short while ago, Ranma- and a visitor, too."

Following Kasumi into the living room, Ranma and Akane both stopped in their tracks and almost burst out laughing at what they saw. For the most part, the room looked normal- Nabiki was lounging on her stomach reading a manga, Nodoka sat at the table reading a letter as she gladly accepted a cup from Kasumi, and Soun and Genma-panda were engaged in another game of shogi. All in all, nothing to laugh at. They _had_ noticed out of the corner of their eyes that Ukyo was the visitor Kasumi had mentioned, and also that Shingen was sitting at the table next to her as the two of them were having a lengthy discussion with Nodoka. That hadn't been what prompted the near-laugh, although it did prompt a knowing look and a nod between them.

The thing that nearly sent Ranma and Akane into giggles was the leash. In Nodoka's hand. Attached to a red collar around a rather humiliated Genma-panda's neck. Akane snorted and managed to rein her giggles in at the last moment, but Ranma wasn't quite as successful and let loose a short flurry of stifled snickers. Genma looked up and shook his head, holding up a sign saying HAVE PITY ON YOUR OLD MAN, BOY.

"Welcome home, son," said Nodoka, motioning for him and Akane to sit down. "I trust you're doing well… and you really shouldn't laugh at others like that. It's impolite." She paused, then smirked. "Even if it might be justified," she added under her breath.

"Sorry, Mom- I just wasn't expecting to see that when I walked in."

"Me neither," Akane added.

"I don't think any of us did," said Ukyo from her place at the table. "I was just mindin' the shop when Mrs. Saotome here comes along with Mr. Saotome in tow…" She stifled a giggle of her own, Shingen merely raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Not exactly an everyday sight in downtown, ya know."

"I was simply out running a few errands, and Dearest was _ever_ so kind to offer to carry my things… but, since there was so much, and he _is_ rather stronger in panda form… it just seemed the best way," said Nodoka with a sly smile. "Oh, and this… it just seemed the best way to keep him from running off." She motioned to the leash looped around her wrist.

"Well… I guess that's pretty reasonable," Ranma murmured as Kasumi served him and Akane some tea. _Geez, I knew Mom wanted to keep Pops on a 'short leash', I didn't think she'd be so literal about it!_

_You and me both, Ranma. You and me both,_ came Akane's Astral reply.

"Personally, I think it suits him," Nabiki muttered offhand. "Maybe you oughta just keep him like that all the time." Soun flinched slightly at the comment, whereas Genma seemed to have turned completely white. His signboard confirmed his sentiment, reading CAN I HAVE SOME HOT WATER NOW? PLEASE?

Nodoka seemed to ponder for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Kasumi, could you be a dear and get my husband a little hot water? I think he'd like to let his hair down a bit… as it were." Kasumi nodded and headed for the kitchen while the others at the table all snickered. Genma-panda groaned.

"So," Akane began once the giggles died down, "what brings you here today, Ukyo? I didn't see you in class today, I thought you might have been sick or something."

"Actually, I just took a day off to run the store, that's all. But then me and Shin-kun here ran into the Saotomes, and Mrs. Saotome invited me back here to have a little chat. So I closed up early…" Ukyo brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "And we've been chatting pretty much all afternoon."

"You and Shin?" Ranma asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I just happened to be out for a walk when I noticed her place was opening for business," Shingen added. "We got to talking, and… well, somehow I wound up staying there longer than I expected. I'd only really meant to stay for a bite, but…"

"Anyway," Ukyo continued, sporting a mild flush, "like I said, we met up with your mom and came back here to talk about things." She turned and looked at Nodoka. "I still say you didn't have to, Mrs. Saotome…"

"Please, Ukyo, no need to be like that. Just call me Auntie," Nodoka replied warmly. "And while you might not feel that I need to be doing this, I do." She paused, looking down the table at Ranma and Akane. "The matter between her family and ours needs to be cleared up, even if Ukyo-chan doesn't feel it to be necessary. What happened years ago left a deep stain on the Saotome clan's honor, as you well know." She shot a hard look at Genma, who was currently being doused with hot water by Kasumi. "As temporary Clan Leader, it is my obligation to bring to an end what the previous leader failed to rectify."

Genma's glum look became even glummer. "I wasn't thinking properly, No-chan… I _said_ I was sorry…" He fingered the now-loose collar around his neck, pondering how fast he could yank it off before Nodoka noticed.

"In any event," Nodoka continued, "I do understand your desire to leave it behind, Ukyo, but this issue has to be settled. And I must say, I'm rather glad you hadn't mailed off that letter to your father yet; I certainly don't approve of the language you had used."

Ukyo blushed. "Well, I guess telling him to go straight to hell was a bit much…"

"You actually told your father to go to hell?" Akane half-asked, half gasped.

"Well, to be exact I wrote that I hope he rots in hell," Ukyo replied with a guilty shrug. "I guess I was a tad emotional when I came up with that… so we've been revising that letter pretty much all afternoon. We were almost finished when you and Ran-chan came in, and…" She paused. "Uh… Ran-chan?"

Ranma nodded ever so slightly, but his eyes didn't meet with hers. In the blink of an eye, he had gone from casual mode to hyper-tense, almost like a coiled spring. His eyes had suddenly locked on the shoji doors leading to the backyard, just beyond Soun and Genma. His fists were clenched and rested lightly on the table, and Akane could see his brow beginning to furrow. She was about to ask him what the big deal was, when a familiar sensation began to wash over her, causing her to tense up as well. She didn't look to her other side, but Akane could feel Shingen's aura start to flare in response to the sensation… a pulsing, overwhelming quantity of ki that was barely suppressed.

Nodoka blinked. "Son? Akane? What on earth is the matter?"

Ranma gritted his teeth. "There's something out there," he muttered in a voice that was almost a snarl. "Shoulda known this day couldn't stay peaceful for long. You feel it too, dontcha, 'kane?"

Akane nodded. "It's getting closer, too."

"This can't be good… it's exactly the same as what I felt outside Ucchan's earlier," Shingen murmured, one hand inching towards his weapon. Soun shot an inquisitive look in his direction, while Genma took a moment to loosen the collar and swap out a shogi piece.

"Oh, this definitely ain't good, Shin." Ranma's eyes narrowed until they were little more than blue slits. "I know that aura all too well…"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, would one of you please tell the rest of us what…" Nodoka was promptly cut off mid-sentence by a sudden, massive flaring of ki outside the house that caused a prodigious gust of wind to rip through the spaces between the doors. Papers, shogi pieces and teacups were knocked about as the doors viciously snapped open. Nodoka gasped and scrambled to retrieve the letter she and Ukyo had worked on. Soun and Genma both twisted to look out the door and promptly scooted away in a panic, butting up against the table with their eyes glued to the figure on the porch.

"RRRRAAAANNNNMMMMAAAA! TIME FOR YOU TO LEARN YOUR PLACE ONCE AND FOR ALL, M'BOY!" bellowed Happosai, fury etched into every last wrinkle on his face. His ki was boiling over in great gouts of cold blue light, which distracted somewhat from his unkempt and disheveled appearance. His clothing was matted and torn in places, and there were bizarre round marks all over his face- the by-product of the amorous octopus that had seized him while in transit.

Ranma sprang to his feet and glared at the ancient lecher. "I figured you'd be showing up sooner or later; seems like every time things start going right, along comes Happi and mucks it all up again! Why didn't ya just stay away this time?"

Soun began shivering and spun around to face Ranma. "Son, PLEASE! There's n-no need to be quite so b-brusque with the Master! L-look, whatever you've done to upset him, p-perhaps you might at least consider an ap-pology! For K-Kami's sake, he IS the f-founder of the school!"

"Like I care about that!" Ranma snapped, cracking his knuckles. "You expect me to suck up to this pipsqueak the rest of my life, just like you and Pops do all the time? Sorry, Mr. Tendo, but I'm not gonna do that today, whatever the hell his beef is!"

"You disrespectful little whelp," Happosai growled as he stepped into the house. "Have you no concern for the fate that befell your Grandmaster? YOU had the nerve to boot me out of town when it was well and truly YOUR time to be taught a lesson! AND I see you still haven't evicted that interloper who's probably still squatting in MY room! And all this time…" He began to shed a ridiculous quantity of something that Ranma, Akane and everyone except Soun recognized as crocodile tears. "I have suffered the greatest injustices at the hands of misguided foreigners and a deranged sea creature; I doubt I shall EVER be the same again!" The fire in his eyes blazed again and he locked eyes with Ranma. "And you DARE not show even a tinge of guilt for being responsible for my misfortune?"

"Don't even go there, you self-centered, self-righteous, decrepit, impotent old ball o' perverted wax."

Happosai's jaw practically hit the floor. "IMPOTENT?"

Akane winced. _Now you've done it, Ranma. That creep's gonna wreck this place for sure now that you've gone and riled him up…_

_Don't count on it, Acchan,_ he replied in their mind's ear. _Not if I wreck him first._ "Ya heard me, old lech. And don't bother askin' me to take it back, because I won't."

Genma swallowed hard and started to sweat as Happosai grew even more livid. "M-master, please… you've had a long journey, you must be very tired… this must be all some big misunderstanding! D-don't mind the boy, you know how he is, saying one thing and meaning something else…" He wanted to say more in an effort to buy time, but got cut off as Happosai smacked him inordinately hard on the head with his pipe.

"Don't try and placate me with your simpering, you fat fool!" the small man snapped. "I've had just about all I can take of this boy and his ways… and I dare say you're the one to blame for failing to teach him some respect!" He folded his arms and glared at Genma. "I think perhaps you'd best assist me in teaching my heir his lesson, Genma… otherwise I may very well strip you of your title as Master of the Saotome school." His glare turned into a wicked sneer. "Wouldn't like that, would you?"

Ranma folded his arms and snorted derisively. "That ain't gonna work as a threat this time, old man. Pops ain't the Master of the Saotome school anymore." He brushed his bangs out of his hair and flashed a cool grin at Happosai. "I am."

"Huh? Wha… You? YOU'RE the Mas… WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?"

"You've been gone a bit too long, Happi. I earned that title when I whipped Pops in an official challenge not more than a few days ago." Around the table, several people nodded their assent to his statement, accompanied with some nasty looks; Nodoka was rapidly becoming disgusted with the old Grandmaster and bore a look that closely matched Nabiki's and Akane's. "Sorry you weren't here for his 'retirement' party," Ranma added, rolling up his sleeves. "And speaking of which, I've had about all I can take of yer bellyaching- so maybe it's about time you consider retiring yerself."

Happosai stared. "Are you suggesting that I, your GRANDMASTER, should step down?"

"I'm not suggesting," Ranma shot back. "I'm telling you to step down and get the hell out of our lives."

Akane nodded, hesitantly at first, then stood up next to Ranma with a clenched fist. "That goes for me, too." Nodoka, Kasumi and Nabiki didn't say anything, but nodded in agreement- Nodoka with her hand on her katana. Soun, for his part, decided on the easy course to escape the high emotions around him, and promptly fainted.

"This… this is absurd!" Happosai fumed. "The _arrogance_… telling _me_, of all people, what to do! And I suppose you feel you can't learn anything more from this learned Master of the Art, then? Want to try and humiliate me a step further, eh? Force me into retirement and leave the school without a Grandmaster?"

"That's not what I said, you old fart," Ranma said in a sub-zero voice. "How about this. You wanna teach me a lesson so bad, why don't you just try it. You and me, right now. Master vs. Grandmaster. I win… and you hand over the entire school, step down and never come back to Nerima."

"Ahhh… so it comes down to this, does it," Happi said in a soft, dangerous tone. "I lose, and you take my title… well, you arrogant little whelp, how about this? I'll accept that term if you accept this- if I win, you and the _entire household_ swear your loyalty to me and become my devoted pupils." He paused a moment, casting a lascivious eye on every female present in the room. "And that means fulfilling my _every_ desire, whatever that may be." Nodoka paled. Kasumi gasped, Nabiki looked like she was about to vomit, and Akane began to grit her teeth so hard the others could hear her doing it.

_Ranma…_

_What is, it, Acchan?_

She looked up at him with a fire in her eyes he'd seen many times before. _You better kick that old geezer's ass so hard he'll kiss the moon, otherwise I'm going to do the same to you!_

Ranma winced a bit at the force behind her words, but smirked as he noticed a slight playfulness in the tone. _Don't you worry… I ain't the same Ranma he's fought before, and this time I ain't gonna hold back._ He shot another icy look at the angry dwarf. "You got a deal, Happy. I lose, I'm yer goddamned servant. Now… let's DO IT!"

With no additional warning, Ranma planted a foot on the table and sprang headlong at Happosai, right fist shooting towards the lecher's face. Akane's eyes widened as she noticed Ranma's speed wasn't all that it could be, then winced as Happi snagged Ranma's wrist with his pipe and sent the pig-tailed teen flying out the door and into the koi pond. She shook her head and started to wonder if Ranma had just made a huge mistake… and then something hit her about the way he had moved. Ranma hadn't underestimated Happosai's speed, he had _let_ the old goat throw him!

Happosai, for his part, merely sported a huge grin on his face and bounced over to the koi pond. "Now for a little recharge of the ol' batteries, then I'll end this for good!" he cackled, springing onto one of the boundary stones. A figure rose up out of the water, and Happi pounced. "SWEET… o?" His hands had firmly locked onto Ranma's shirt and his face pressed tight to said shirt, but something was definitely amiss. He blinked twice, looked up… right into a fully male Ranma's grinning face. The fact that Ranma hadn't changed escaped him for a moment; the fact that Happosai had just snuggled up to a _man's_ chest sent a horrific shiver down his spine.

"Looking for something, old bastard?" said Ranma with a grin, followed by a right fist to the top of Happi's head that drove the tiny man into the ground. Ranma quickly sprang out of the pond; Happosai hopped out of the smallish crater, wobbling a bit before recovering, and in an instant the real battle erupted. With a pint-sized roar, Happosai became a blur, darting over, around and under Ranma in an attempt to smack his arms, legs or head with his pipe- or, failing that, to strike at various pressure points on the young man's body. He lashed out, feeling fully certain of catching his student- but as seconds ticked away, the certainty faded. He was hitting, to be sure- but he was hitting Ranma's after-images. All too late something occurred to him- somehow, Ranma had gotten a lot faster than Happosai remembered.

This speed became painfully evident as Ranma began to strike back, hitting Happosai with a succession of quick jabs that by themselves did little, but en masse began to hurt quite a bit. "You think you're so tough? It'll be another hundred years before you can defeat me!" Happi snapped, ducking a lightning-fast kick and moving in for another pipe toss. The next thing he felt was a shudder all along his arm, followed by a snapping sound as Ranma broke the pipe with a knife-hand strike.

"Guess time flies then, huh?" Ranma quipped as the two sprang apart. Happosai shook his head, spat on the ground and lunged forward again- but Ranma was nowhere to be seen. In the span of time it took a person to blink once, he had contracted his ki and entered the Umisen-ken faster than even Genma had ever done. Happi stared at the ground blankly, but before he could try to reach out with his other senses he was suddenly attacked from- apparently- all angles as Ranma executed a perfect snake bite strike up and down the Master's body. The tiny man wobbled and spun, his eyes spinning as Ranma reappeared… with something clenched in each hand. Akane blinked, then turned bright red as she realized Ranma was holding no less than a dozen pieces of lingerie. Nodoka stared blankly at the sight; Nabiki merely shrugged and kept her camera trained on the fight.

Happi slowly stabilized himself, then gasped as he finally noticed what Ranma was holding. "What the… HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY SILKY DARLINGS!"

"I know you too well, old freak," Ranma shot back. "And as long as you're drawing yer pervert energy from these, you're not playing fair. So I thought I'd even the odds a bit." His ki flared up around his hands, and in front of Happosai's face every bra and panty was suddenly and violently scorched into oblivion. The old pervert screamed in outrage.

"THAT DOES IT! Now I'm REALLY going to make you pay for your impertinence! HAPPO FIRE BURST!" The next instant, no less than six fuse bombs appeared in his hands, which he promptly hurled with all his might directly at Ranma's face with the speed of a Roger Clemens fastball. Surprisingly, Ranma didn't budge an inch, but tensed up and clenched his fists as the bombs streaked towards them… and promptly exploded in a cloud of smoke that encased him from head to toe.

"Ranma!" Akane cried out, her eyes widening at the sight.

"Relax, Akane. He knows exactly what he's doing." Shingen stood up from the table and put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back down. "I felt it from where I was sitting," he added in a whisper. "Just watch."

Happosai shook his head and began to saunter towards the cloud of smoke. "What a shame you had to learn your lesson the hard way, boy," he chuckled nastily. "Maybe now you'll know just who has the upper hand around here…"

"Yeah… and that would be ME!"

Happosai's eyes bugged out at the sound of Ranma's cocky voice- and his jaw promptly dropped as Ranma's aura abruptly exploded, blasting the smoke into oblivion and singing the edges of his hair. The pig-tailed teen stood completely unharmed at the epicenter of the blast, wrapped in a brilliant red aura that grew more vibrant and powerful by the second. An instant before the shock wore off from Happosai, Ranma crouched down and shot forward like a human missile. "Now let's see what you think of MY power!"

The seconds that followed were nothing short of the most painful ones Happosai had ever gone through. Ranma came down upon him like several wolves upon the fold, first blazing into the Master with a punishing Amaguriken that drove nearly all the wind from his lungs. Happi fell to the ground and staggered back up again, but Ranma gave him no chance to recover, hitting him over the head with a double axe-handle smash and a reverse roundhouse that sent him crashing into the estate wall. Happosai managed to pull himself back up again and began to pepper Ranma with jabs and kicks of his own, but Ranma's speed and the lech's own anger worked against him, allowing him to score only a few meager hits. Suddenly Ranma vanished from sight into the Umisen once more, then emerged from behind with his hand wreathed in blazing ki. "JINRAI TEKKEN!" he bellowed, slamming his fist into Happosai's back and cracking no less than six of Happi's ribs in the process; as the puny Master fell, Ranma grabbed hold of his brown gi and flung him into the air. He crouched, and suddenly shot skyward, quickly reaching the same height as the now-descending pervert; a quick mid-air flip and Ranma had connected with a devastating ki-enhanced axe kick to the back of Happi's head.

The final blow sent the pint-sized man crashing to the ground next to the koi pond. Ranma landed next to him, wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled back into a ready position. Everybody in the house was staring, some in awe, some in shock, and two with knowing smiles, at the sight in front of him. Only Soun wasn't staring at the fight, still suffering from his fainting spell.

Ranma cracked his neck. "We can keep this up all afternoon, or we can end it right now. Do you yield?"

Happosai twitched. A long groan escaped him from where he had landed in a battered heap. Several things were hitting him at the same time- not only was he in a great deal of agony, he was too far from any lady's underclothes or a warm bosom to replenish himself; somehow Ranma had not turned into a girl when in the koi pond; and somewhere between the last real duel of theirs and this duel, Ranma's skill level had either shot through the roof, or he had held back, or both. Despite all of this, however, his own pride would not allow him to surrender while he could still move…

He craned his neck up out of the dirt and looked weakly at Ranma and those around him. "I… I ain't done yet, you… whipper… snapper…" He coughed, and promptly collapsed on the dirt again.

"Well, I don't know about you," said Nabiki with a grin on her face, camera in hand, "but I'd say that qualifies as a win by knockout."

Genma blinked, seeming to realize several things at once. "He… he did it? He did… he really did it!" He scrambled over and shook Soun back to his senses. "Tendo, my boy did it! The Old Master has been defeated! WE'RE FREE!"

"F-free?" Soun stammered, a slow smile emerging on his face. "Free from the Master? Oh… oh, my… oh, HAPPY DAY! Oh Ranma, you've made us so proud!" All other thoughts promptly exited his head as the elder Tendo and Saotome started dancing arm in arm, whooping and shouting with glee. Nodoka shook her head and stood up as Ranma wearily stepped back inside, giving him a powerful hug that was quickly outdone by the near-glomp Akane gave him an instant later. Kasumi was just about the only one who cast a concerned eye in the direction of Happosai, and then only for about two seconds.

"That was incredible, Ran-chan!" Ukyo said, giving him a hearty slap on the back. "Boy, you and that old goat really put on a hell of a show, huh… but how'd you manage to soak all those bombs? Look at you, you don't even look singed!"

"Yeah, you kinda scared me for a moment before I realized what you'd done," Akane added, mussing up Ranma's hair and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "You used a ki shielding technique, didn't you."

"That's exactly what he did," Shingen piped up. "I've used the Makoto Toku enough times, it's not hard to tell when someone else is using it. Flared it right at the last second, I'll bet."

Ranma shrugged. "Eh, wasn't that hard." Another groan bubbled up from Happosai. "Might as well stop your whining, old lech. You accepted the challenge, and you lost."

"Son," Nodoka chided gently, "there's no need to rub it in. Winning graciously is just as important as the win itself, you know." Ranma rolled his eyes and was just about to explain the fact that Happi had seldom if ever won graciously, along with a few other choice tidbits, when something interrupted him.

That something was a sudden chill that traveled up his spine to the base of his skull and back down again- the same chill he had felt twice on Monday, and each time had been associated with something supernatural. Only this time, the chill felt stronger… much stronger. His muscles started to tense, and he could feel Akane was feeling the exact same thing. "What is that…" he murmured.

"You feel it too, huh," said Akane in a quiet tone. "That definitely doesn't feel right."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Shingen added from behind them. "I know negative energy, and this is about as strong as any I've ever felt."

"Hey, what's the big deal with you guys?" Nabiki queried, one eyebrow raised. "What's with all the serious looks all of a sudden? A moment ago you guys were all jumping for joy, and now…"

"Oh my goodness!" Kasumi's voice cut through the air like a knife as she dropped the tea tray and stared out into the yard. "What's happening out there?" The others turned and looked out, followed by several mouths dropping open. Thick layers of fog were beginning to roll over the top of the estate wall, completely contrary to the late springtime weather they had had the entire day. The fog oozed over and down the walls like a gaseous slug, coming in greater and greater layers that gradually rose high above the walls of the estate. Ranma slowly fell into a ready stance, as did Akane; Shingen flipped his naginata into his hand with the tip of his left foot.

Soun and Genma's dance of joy had abruptly halted, replaced by both men staring at the sudden fog as if they had seen a ghost. Nabiki stared for a moment, then turned her camera back on out of curiosity. Kasumi began to tremble; Nodoka's hand strayed to the hilt of her katana.

The fog continued to seep into the yard, growing thicker and gradually obscuring the outline of the stone walls. It crept along the ground, eventually brushing across the crumpled body of Happosai. He flinched at the sudden touch of the chill air, then slowly pulled himself off the ground, still in a daze from Ranma's last kick. Gradually, though, his vision cleared and he glanced up in surprise… then froze. Several shadows were moving in the fog. He struggled into a sitting position as an amused baritone laugh suddenly echoed through the mist-covered yard.

"Well, now." The owner of the laugh spoke in a rich, commanding voice that dripped with unmistakable menace.

"It's been a very long time… hasn't it, Happosai."

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 2/9/06: This is by far the longest chapter I've written yet, simply because there was so much I wanted to get in. I only hope I haven't rushed it in certain parts; while I tried to take my time on this chapter there are a few parts I'm not entirely satisfied with. Still, overall I think I've managed to convey what I wanted to. I won't deny that this story isn't entirely perfect and there may be occasional plot gaps(as one reviewer mentioned), but as I have said, I have imperfect knowledge of the series at best. I can only do what I can with my ideas and what I know.

Yes, I know I left the Neko-ken dream-training sequence open at the end, and there's a reason why. I'm not going to tell you what happened yet. That remains to be seen in a future chapter.

In regards to Astaroth, who one person asked if he resembles Wonrei from Zatch Bell- close, but not quite. His clothing will be discussed a bit more in a future chapter, but facially I always felt he was closer to a violet-eyed Sephiroth. But that, and other images, will have to wait. I will be taking a slight break from writing, as work is burning me out again, but I will have a new chapter up eventually. After all, all hell is about to break loose in Nerima. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	36. Storm's Arrival, Sudden Vengeance

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. They will be returned once this chronicle is complete, with full rental fees paid. But enough beating around the bush.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 36: Storm's Arrival, Sudden Vengeance

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"Are you sure this is the last case, Mistress?" a weary Sasuke gasped as he staggered out the door of Kuno Manor, lugging a designer suitcase that threatened to overwhelm him just as he set it beside several identical suitcases. Each had been crammed to capacity with clothing and personal belongings. The suitcases sat on the pavement next to an assortment of large boxes, which were being loaded onto a moving van by two men under Kodachi's watchful eye.

"Quite sure, Sasuke," the raven-haired girl replied in a low, serious tone. "Anything still remaining in the closets can remain there for now; I shall likely not be needing them." She glanced up at the van and narrowed her eyes. "Be careful with those, you two! If so much as one box or the contents therein is damaged, it will be on your heads, do you understand?"

"Don't worry 'bout a thing, ma'am," one of the movers replied in a tired voice. "We're professionals, we handle this kinda thing all the time."

"I should hope so, but do pay attention to which one goes where! And DO be careful with the ones marked 'Fragile', they are MOST precious!" She turned away from the van and discreetly bit her lip. _The last thing I need those apes doing is breaking one of those blasted chemistry vials; I would as soon leave them here but I cannot risk it. Especially some of the more… potent concoctions, best not to let them sit unattended…_

"Mistress, are you really sure you want to do this?" Sasuke asked as he sat on the largest of the suitcases. "Would it not be easier to have young Master Kuno's things put away instead? Must you leave the family estate altogether?"

"Sasuke," Kodachi sighed, "there is a part of me that would just as soon stay here. That I will not deny… but there are a number of bad memories within these walls as well. Memories that have not been easy for me to revisit, as you know." She folded her arms and hugged herself briefly. "I doubt that I shall be sufficiently able to deal with them for some time, and it may be longer still if I stay within those walls."

"I… I understand your reasons, Mistress, but to _abandon_ the estate…"

"I am not abandoning it, Sasuke," Kodachi replied with a shake of the head. "I am merely taking my leave of it for now. Father did as much, and the house held up in his absence… though his reason for abandoning me to my _brother_ could hardly be comparable to my reason." She looked up at the walls of the manor with sad eyes- eyes that no longer seemed to shine with a maniacal light. "The staff should be able to manage until I return… and I know that you, loyal Sasuke, probably already plan to see to it personally."

Sasuke nodded hesitantly, a slight flush on his face. "Well… y-yes, with your approval, of course." Kodachi paused a moment, then smiled.

"Of course." She paused, then glanced at the front gate. "I do hope Midorigame will be okay. He loved this place so much… I expect the move will be harder on him than it will be for me."

Sasuke shrugged noncommittally. "Oh, I don't know… the Nerima zoo seems a nice place. I'm sure the keepers will be kind to him." He paused. "In truth, I was somewhat taken aback when you decided to donate him, Mistress. You raised him from a hatchling, after all."

"Yes… it wasn't easy, saying goodbye," the gymnast sighed. "But I couldn't leave him here while I'm away, I just couldn't. He'd throw a right awful temper tantrum if you or the staff tried to feed him; as skilled as you are, you just don't know how." She flashed a brief grin that made Sasuke's eyes widen slightly, then slipped back into melancholy. "And besides… he, too, reminds me of that… that _woman_ I became. Him and the house, both. As long as I'm around either of them… I'm…" She stared at the ground. "I'm afraid, Sasuke. Afraid the Black Rose might come back again before I've dealt with my 'family' properly. Afraid it might wreck any attempt to reconcile with Ranma and the Tendo girl… afraid that…"

She paused, then blinked. "Sasuke… do my eyes deceive me, or is there an afternoon mist building up?"

Sasuke glanced around, his brow furrowing. "That is most peculiar… I thought for sure the weather forecast called for a clear evening, not this."

The two of them glanced higher, and as they did, their expressions became more and more confused. What had begun as a mild mist wafting down the street was quickly turning into a cold fog that grew thicker, seemingly, by the second. It crept along the outer walls of the estate and spread up and outward, rolling over the moving van and the walls as if they weren't even there. Soon it had crept higher still, blocking more and more of the afternoon sunlight and casting eerie shadows along the pavement. A chill shot up Kodachi's spine as the fog caressed her bare ankles.

"Sasuke… this does not feel right," she said, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. "Unless you have a hidden ninja secret to produce fog…"

"M-mistress, there is no ninja technique on this level… I can make do with smoke bombs, but none of my family has ever learned anything of this magnitude!" The short man's mousy features suddenly turned a sickly shade as a nearby streetlamp flickered on, doing little to ease the growing discontent in Kodachi's heart. The two movers had stopped moving boxes and simply stared as the fog grew thicker, colder… until it appeared the entire road was a sea of mist.

"This is ridiculous," Kodachi snapped at no one. "It's probably just a freak weather pattern, nothing more. There's no reason why a little fog should make Kodachi Kuno weak at the knees!"

An instant later, a distant cry- like a baying wolf- echoed down the street. Sasuke froze in place. Kodachi's eyes grew wide and she swallowed hard. Shortly after, a shrill cackle erupted in the distance, followed by another, and another.

"On the other hand… there is no reason why a young girl should not be on guard for dangers other than a little fog," she stammered, reaching into her school uniform and whipping her ribbon into a ready stance.

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In other parts of Nerima, the fog was spreading like wildfire. It slithered through alleyways and crawled through the side streets, it crept between trees in the park and oozed its way through the canals. Streetlamps began snapping on the moment they were engulfed by the thick mist, but what light made it through was hardly a comfort and seldom enough to see by. Cars began to screech to a crawl; a few were stopped completely either because they were lost or because of collisions with telephone poles, brick walls, or other cars.

People began to shiver as the fog wound around them, stripping away the heat of late spring with surprising alacrity. The chill in the air only became worse as a silence descended upon the streets for a few brief moments, only to be replaced by a haunting, howling wind and a vicious snicker that seemed to come from all directions at once, as if from a great unseen chorus. Some people in the commercial district started to panic, leaving their afternoon shopping behind as they dashed into the road, trying to make sense of the fog and looking for a place to run.

A tendril of fog snaked into the open doorway of the Neko Hanten and wormed across the floor of the dining room, causing the few diners therein some consternation before Shampoo slammed the door shut, blocking the remaining fog. She stared at the door for a few seconds and shuddered as her legs brushed the mist; her eyes widened as the sensation of a hand running up her leg hit her just before the miasma evaporated.

Shampoo spun on her heel and stared at the ground, but there was nothing there except the floor. Behind her, faint echoes of laughter and nervous people in the streets made their way through the door. _Aiyah… this not normal, Shampoo know it not supposed to be foggy today… but all at once… and… and something try to grope Shampoo's leg, but cannot see what?_ She shook her head and darted into the kitchen. "Great-grandmother, something very bad happening and I no know what it is!"

"I know, child, I can feel it from here," the old Amazon murmured with a catch in her throat. "I felt it even before I saw that mist roll through the door… there is something very wrong afoot. Very wrong indeed." She turned around, and Shampoo could clearly see worry etched into every line on Cologne's face. "Twice today, I've felt the presence of strong ki- _very_ strong ki- passing through town. The first one I knew right off; that degenerate Happosai's back in town. But the second…" She shuddered. "I have no idea what the second was."

"I don't believe this!" Mousse shouted as he bounded down the stairs and skidded to a halt just inside the kitchen, the pain from his injury seemingly forgotten. "I took one look outside my window and I thought I'd gone blind again! What's the deal with all that fog outside? And _what_ is the deal with all that laughing I heard?"

"Mousse, quiet down and listen! This is too, too serious!" Shampoo snapped, pulling him further in. The remaining customers decided to finish lunch early and quickly departed, leaving their payments on the tables.

"What? I was only asking what the deal is with the weather…"

Cologne batted him lightly on the head with her cane. "The 'deal', as you put it, is that something… or someone… is causing it to happen. Something very powerful, boy… and, I might add, something overwhelmingly vicious." She shook her head. "I only felt it for a moment, just a minute or two ago… it felt like it was some distance from here, but even so… the ki I felt was unbelievable."

Mousse blinked. "Something _made_ that happen? And it's doing it as we speak?" _Damn… I thought something felt a little off when I was cleaning my room up, I thought it was just a drafty window…_

"In a word, yes. And I daresay, I haven't felt many auras on par with what I felt a moment ago."

"But why?" Shampoo asked, throwing another nervous glance towards the door. "What fog-thing doing here? Is come to steal something, or…" She suddenly paled; memories of numerous other occasions involving strange appearances came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks, and in particular a certain person or persons who almost always became involved. "Oh no… does this mean… is brother Ranma in danger?"

"I fear that may be the case, child," Cologne replied. "He and Akane do tend to find themselves at the mercy of beings such as these. Even more so, it may be, because of their blood. Of course, I might be wrong… but as I said, I also felt Happosai's aura pass through much earlier." Her eyes narrowed. "And when that old goat's around, it's always bad news."

"So what happens now?" Mousse asked in a sharp tone. "Do we go to the Tendos' and try to warn them before this 'something' reaches them?" Behind him, the newest member of the wait staff peeked around the kitchen door curiously.

"I think they already know by now, boy. And I doubt we could reach them before 'it' does… but they are our adopted tribal brethren. By law, they are Amazons- and Amazons never abandon fellow warriors." Shampoo nodded and was just about to reply, when Cologne's head suddenly jerked up. The old woman spun to face the doorway; the others glanced up just in time to see the door slide open so hard it nearly came off its tracks.

A shadow staggered through the fog, followed closely by another. "Excuse me! How do you get to Nerima ward from here?"

Shampoo blinked, then rolled her eyes and sighed. "You IN Nerima, stupid pig-boy. Aiyah… at least with fog you got excuse for being lost."

Ryoga blinked, glanced around twice, then let out a relieved chuckle. "Oh, thank the Kami… the second that damn pea soup rolled in I thought for sure we were gonna wind up down in Kyoto before nightfall!"

"You and me both, sweetheart," Akari added as she stepped in, rubbing her arms to ward off the cold. "I can't believe I lost Grandfather's map again; the wind just ripped it right out of my hands!"

"Yeah, first the fiasco with the pigs' medicine, then today he tells us he's running out of his _own_ medicine and we run right smack into this freak weather." Behind Ryoga, outside the door, Katsunishiki grunted his agreement and gave a porcine whine; the giant pig was rather upset that the doors weren't wide enough for him. "I don't get it, I thought today was supposed to be kinda pleasant… well, it was when we started out…"

"This no time for idle chit-chat!" Shampoo snapped, fists on her hips. "Is something very bad in Nerima that is causing mist, and that mean certain someone probably in big trouble!"

Ryoga's head snapped up. "What are you talking about?"

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In the backyard of the Tendo estate, the mist was slowly beginning to thin. The clammy chill that hung in the air continued to ooze forward regardless, sending tiny pricks up the backs of most of those present. Kasumi had dropped to her knees, gripped by a nameless dread, Nodoka had dropped the leash Genma was on, though he was too startled to take advantage of the opening- even Nabiki's icy outer shell was beginning to crack. Ranma and Akane just stared as a roiling, pulsing wave of ki crept through the air, threatening to overwhelm their nascent aura senses with its intensity. "Shin… I thought you said you'd set up some kinda barrier around here," Ranma muttered, taking a deep breath and glaring at the fog. A sudden crackle of pale gold light in the air just above the porch answered him a second later as multiple warding points began to glow.

"I set that barrier up around the house and dojo, Ranma; I didn't have enough materials for the backyard too," Shingen shot back through gritted teeth. His eyes were narrowed so much they were nearly shut, and his knuckles were turning white with the intensity of his grip on his naginata. _This is not good… that concentration of demonic energy is far too strong to be from a run-of-the-mill entity!_ The mist continued to pull back centimeter by centimeter; Happosai was still struggling to sit up, his face ashen and his eyes wide as saucers. Shadows began to stir within the fog… and Shingen's eyes widened. _There's more than one! One massive aura, at least two smaller ones with it… and… there's something else beyond that, not quite as strong as the weakest of the first three, but it doesn't feel fully demonic… a hanyou in the service of the others? Whatever they are, this is WAY more than I was expecting!_ He felt a sudden tremble in his hand and glanced down; his weapon was beginning to pulse and throb with an inner energy all its own.

"Yes… it's been a very, _very_ long time, Little Happosai."

One shadow moved. The owner of the voice stepped forward, the mist thinning away to reveal a tall man with long ivory hair and menacing violet eyes. He stood barely a yard from the puny ex-Grandmaster, clad in a long white garment that bore a striking resemblance to a priest's cassock, but with gold Chinese-style closures up the middle. He appeared to be wearing loose black pants and shoes, and a deep purple sash about the waist; his left hand rested on an ebony cane thrust through the sash. Beyond him, two more shadows gradually grew more distinct- an even taller, monstrously proportioned shadow to his right, and on his left a more petite shadow barely the same height as Ranma's female form.

The tall man took another step towards Happosai- and Akane gasped in surprise as she realized the old lech was doing something she had _never_ seen him do. He was shaking. In pure, abject fear. "Oh my God… what kind of person _is_ this?" she breathed.

"Wha… wha… what's going on?" Soun managed to stammer. "What is all of this? Who _are_ these people?" He glanced around, but a reply was not forthcoming.

"What's this, then?" the violet-eyed man purred, folding his arms. "You don't look so pleased to see me, Happosai. In fact… I'd say you look like you never expected to see me again."

_Oh hell…_ Shingen's eyes snapped wide open. _This power… he's reining it in, but I can still pick up its intensity from here… great Kami, that man could be a Named Spirit…_

Ranma's head snapped up, as did Akane's. _Shingen, what was that you said? Named Spirit?_

_That's what I said,_ the taller man replied Astrally. _I knew something big was about to happen, but if it's a Named Spirit… no wonder Karasuhebi's reacting the way he is…_

Happosai, for his part, had found a tiny reserve of energy and was scooting back on his rear towards the Tendo house. "Oh… oh dear…" he said in a tiny voice. "T-this is quite a l-little surprise… T-T-T'an-mo, what an unexp-pected pleasure to s-see you ag-gain…"

The white-haired man raised an eyebrow. "T'an-mo… hmm… yes, I suppose I have been known by that name. There have been so many, sometimes it's hard to keep track… occasionally they just blend together." His mouth curled into a minute smirk. "Yes, I did use that name a long time ago… until I was somehow sealed away, most unexpectedly…" He took another step. "For now, however, I would rather you address me by my proper name, whelp. The name handed down to me by my father… Astaroth."

Shingen's jaw dropped. _WHAT did he just say?_

"Astaroth? What kinda weird name is that s'posed to be?"

"A name that means nothing but trouble, Ranma!" Shingen hissed. "Remember how you told me you fought against the demigod Saffron?" A hesitant nod was his reply, but before he could continue the ivory-haired man shot an icy glare towards the open shoji doors. Violet eyes narrowed- and suddenly the demon's battle aura flared, blasting air forcefully in all directions as indigo light wreathed his body. The sudden gust caught those in the room and battered them with the intensity of a hurricane, knocking several of them off their feet and, in Soun and Genma's cases, sprawling them onto their backs. Ranma's and Shingen's knees buckled and Akane winced as she was pushed down to one knee, but all three managed to stay more or less upright. A quantity of crockery and glassware lay strewn about, broken or cracked on the floor.

"I do not appreciate being interrupted whilst I am addressing this _maggot_," Astaroth glowered in a glacial tone of voice, the light fading. "Nor do I appreciate anyone referencing myself and the Phoenix god in the same breath. He and I are of an entirely different breed." His eyes darted left to right, scouring the porch before traveling upward to the roof. "Hmm… so my viceroy was right. You've placed a shield ward on this estate, Hunter scum." He drew in a breath, closing his eyes and brushing his hair back. "How very… impolite of you."

"You've got a lot of nerve talking about politeness when _you're_ the one barging into our home!" Akane snapped reflexively, fists clenched. The tall demon turned to face her and locked eyes with hers- and for a brief instant, Akane felt a chill the likes of which she had never faced. It took all the chills she had felt over the past two weeks and blew them away; it felt like she was staring into pure blackness, stripping all warmth away, worse even than the sensations she had felt when on the brink of death on Phoenix Mountain. Her stance faltered and she began to shake.

"I said don't interrupt, young one. I shall deal with you and your pig-tailed loverboy soon enough," Astaroth murmured. "For now, though, Happosai and I have unfinished business. Don't we?"

Happosai had scooted right up to the porch, his back touching the crackling golden barrier that was reacting more and more to Astaroth's presence. "I… I'm afraid I really have no idea what you're talking about, I've been away for quite some time… long training trip… very long indeed… and I think I need to go on another one…"

"Oh, I think you've done enough 'training' as it is, Accursed One," came the reply with all the friendliness of a rabid pit bull. The white-haired man motioned with his left hand, and the two shadows behind him stepped forward. The black Tengu with chains wrapped around his arms emerged from the mist on the right, cracking his knuckles. On the left appeared someone neither Ranma nor Akane had seen before- a girl, smaller than Akane but with a figure on par with Ranma's girl side, with shoulder-length black hair and wild violet eyes. She was dressed in a skin-tight sleeveless purple bodysuit and sported a seductive yet feral grin. Strange tattoos ran from the palm of her right hand up her forearm, seemingly seared into the flesh.

The pulses from Shingen's naginata grew stronger and his eyes narrowed again. _A Named Spirit, that damned Greater Tengu, and now another succubus- or something very like it… this is too much. I'm going to have to…_ He was about to swing his weapon into a ready position when Astaroth's right hand gripped the cane tucked in his belt. An instant later, he swung the cane up, then cracked it down upon the ground… and while the earth did not crack or collapse beneath him, the shockwave that burst from the point the cane struck was sufficient to throw everybody off balance yet again. Shingen staggered and collided with Ukyo, who had been pulling herself to her feet as well, and the two of them fell backwards with Ukyo ending up on top of him- and blushing rather ferociously. Akane dropped to both knees, while Ranma managed to adjust fast enough so as to only fall to one knee.

"What did I say before?" Astaroth sneered. "You're quite the impatient one, aren't you, young Hunter. I assure you, you and your two little Hunter fledglings there will have your chance once I am done." He snapped his fingers, and the mammoth Tengu stepped forward. "Kurowashi. Bind him." The great beast grunted and thrust his hand forward. Happosai squeaked and tried to scramble away just as chains exploded from the Tengu's arm in dozens of directions at once, slithering through the air like silver snakes. A chain snapped around Happosai's leg, pulling taut, then another around his arm, then another, until finally the old man was sprawled on the ground, spreadeagled, with steel links pulling him in all directions.

"What the hell is all this?" Ranma snapped, scrambling back to his feet. Astaroth did not reply, but leveled another emotionless glare at the others before swinging the black cane outward in a sweeping arc. This time the ground in front of the porch and the energy barrier split and cracked as another tremor rocked the house's foundation, followed by a sudden mass of black stone lances punching up from below. Each lance jutted up from the ground at least six feet, then curved back on themselves, until the entire ground floor appeared to be wreathed in a cage of black claws.

"I have had quite enough of these interruptions," he purred dangerously. "You saw fit to lock me out, therefore I have returned the favor and locked you in. And now…" At a gesture, the black Tengu's chains hoisted the struggling Happosai into the air, who looked as if he had wet his pants. The ivory-haired man stepped right up to the tiny elder, his lips curling into a wicked sneer.

"You think I don't remember, do you?"

Happi swallowed hard. "Uh… r-remember what? I d-don't h-have a c-clue what you m-mean…"

"Don't lie to me, Happosai," Astaroth snapped, grasping the smaller man by the chin. "You know full well what I'm talking about. Over two hundred years…" He dug his thumbnail into the old man's cheekbone. "You should know full well I would find a way to escape that little backstabbing trap of yours, you worm."

Ranma blinked twice from behind the double barricade. "Geez, I know Happi's pissed off a lot of people, but someone like _this?_"

"What was that about two hundred years? Has that old goat really been around that long?" Ukyo asked as she rolled off of Shingen's chest.

Astaroth took no heed of what they said, but stared emotionlessly into Happosai's shell-shocked eyes. "You broke your word to me. That I had almost expected… but to imprison me with a five-fold warding ritual… and I'm not even going to ask HOW you pulled it off, or what priest or miko you stole the technique from…" He took a slow breath. "You know full well that time is my ally. You knew it then, you know it now. And surely you know, too, that I do NOT tolerate those who swear fealty to me and then attempt to renege on their contract."

It was Akane's turn to blink. "Contract?"

"Contract?" echoed her father and Genma.

"I remember it all… you were far younger then, Happosai. And just as puny, too… and by far one of the greatest lechers in all of Asia. I felt it long before you ever saw my face, I could smell your aura from a mile away." His thumb relaxed, easing the pressure on the old man's cheek. "I knew if I approached you, I could offer you something you had always longed for. Yes… I'd watched you for a long time, Little Happosai. Stealing food, stealing ladies' underclothes, cheating masters of the martial arts out of their hidden techniques… even learning to conjure up lesser demons.

"But even with all of that, I could tell you were afraid of that great inevitable for all humans. You may have fortified your aura and fighting skills, but you were growing old. You were afraid of that… and unable to find or steal the secret you so desperately wanted. You could have found it among the Amazons, but no. Even one such as you couldn't stand and face more than _one_ of their Elders, let alone an entire village of warriors. You had to find another way, and you had to find it fast.

"Then I approached you. I offered you that which you desired even more than pleasures of the flesh. I offered you the secret of Agelessness. You had already learned the art of Lust Healing, stolen from a reclusive monastery of hedonist warriors… warriors, I might add, who were devout acolytes of my father, the _true_ Lord Astaroth. With that and the power I granted you, you would be nigh unstoppable… and barring violent death, practically immortal.

"In return, you were to become my human servitor. My viceroy amongst the human race, to spread the power of chaos _as I willed it._ My right hand, as it were." The thumb resumed its squeezing, the nail digging into the flesh hard enough to draw a trickle of blood. "I granted you power. And you turned around and betrayed it.

"I had thought you had been cowed sufficiently. That you would not deceive me as you had so many other humans. And for that oversight, I was rewarded by that little surprise when my back was turned. You tricked me into that cave with promises of your latest offering- you had fulfilled your offerings before, I felt it would be no different- and promptly lure me into an elaborate warding circle, imprisoning both me _and_ my weapon behind stacked barriers, five strong. And you laughed. You MOCKED me. Claiming you had 'outsmarted the demon prince'.

"Well, let me assure you, scum. _Nobody laughs in the face of Astaroth._"

Happosai was now shaking like a leaf. "P-please, I c-can explain…"

"You have done enough explaining," the tall demon spat, backhanding Happosai across the face.

Beside him, the dark-haired girl's smile grew wider. "Oh, dear. Looks like the little man is getting twitchy, my Lord," she giggled. "Just as he should, after immobilizing you all those long, _long_ years…"

Astaroth nodded, a faint smile returning to his face. "Quite right, Yoko. Quite right indeed." He turned to her, putting his arm around one of her shoulders. "You see her, filth? _This_ is a being of true loyalty. Born a lowly imp, but faithfully coming to me and doing my bidding all the many years I was held back by your stolen enchantments. She has been my eyes and ears, which you were unwilling to be. Received what boons I could grant in my crippled state, so that my work could be done. Even set events in motion to free me from my prison… and for that, she was rewarded. Given a name, a new station as a higher entity. Once an imp… but now, one of the pain-givers. A Fury, if you will.

"Her loyalty was rewarded. Your impertinence will be punished."

Happosai practically screamed. "N-no, wait! Please! It's n-not what you think! I was… I was… _protecting_ you! Yes, I, uh… I was _masking_ your p-presence from a great, GREAT being of p-power… I had, of course, _intended_ to release you once the danger passed, but… well… great battle, lots of things happening, uh… amnesia… so, really, it w-wasn't my f-fault…"

Astaroth leveled a gaze at him that would freeze gasoline. "Stop lying to me, vermin. I have watched you far too long to fall for any of your foolish tricks. Don't you dare think for one second that you or your precious School of Anything Goes will escape punishment tonight."

Everyone on the other side of the barrier suddenly snapped to attention. "What did he just say?" "S-Saotome, d-did that man just say the School as well?" "That's what it sounded like, Tendo…" "I knew this was gonna be trouble one way or another, little bro…" "Oh, my… I knew Grandfather Happosai was far from a good man, but this is just too much…"

"I've been planning for a long time, Happosai. Watching through the eyes of my viceroy and other imps, picking up what clues I could about you… all the while biding my time, using what power I had left to forge counter-wards to my prison. And I swore that I would not rest until the 'Grandmaster' that sealed me in that pathetic prison had paid, along with his most _devoted_ students."

Happosai began to whimper… and suddenly stopped. "Wait a moment… did you say you… you swore to make the Grandmaster pay? Because if that's the case, then I'm afraid you've come at a bad time. You see, I'm afraid I'm not the school's Grandmaster any longer… lost a challenge to my heir, fair and square; if you want a Grandmaster you'll have to look towards him because I'm not…"

Ranma's jaw practically hit the ground; Akane, Kasumi, Nodoka and Ukyo all gasped. Shingen and Nabiki merely rolled their eyes. "WHAT the HELL? Are you tryin' to foist yer damn problems on me AGAIN, you little son of a bitch?" he shouted, leaping across the table and smashing his knuckles into the stone spike barricade beyond the gold shield. The stone shook with a vibration that caused everyone to gasp and hold their ears, but did not crumble- in fact, it barely cracked. Ranma gasped, shaking his hand in considerable discomfort.

Astaroth, for his part, moved his hand and gripped Happosai by the throat. "Clever. Very clever, slime. And so like you, too. But I distinctly said the Grandmaster who sealed me away. And I never specified that he had to be retaining that title." He ran his finger along Happosai's jugular. "You won't deny me this, little filth. And besides… I'm not the only one who has reason to punish you." He looked away and gave the remaining shadow within the fog a nod. "It wasn't my intention to bring another… we just happened to meet on the way. He seemed rather… keen to meet you."

The figure stepped forward, and Happosai's eyes widened again as the mist dropped away. A pair of angry yet pleased eyes were revealed… an unruly mop of hair… a sudden glint of light off the dragon-scale armor the young man was wearing, and a light breeze that caused the crudely fashioned pantyhose-belt around his waist to flutter. Ranma blinked in surprise, then shook his head slowly. _I don't believe it… guess it's really true what they say about karma comin' back to bite ya in the ass…_

Happosai began to sweat as Pantyhose Taro stood directly in front of him and cracked his knuckles. "Well, well… I've been looking forward to a day like this for a long time, old man. Now… let's talk about names, shall we?"

--------------------

"What is the matter with you youngsters? Hurry up already, this is too important to waste time on!"

"Give us a break, you old mummy! Not everyone's as adept at sensing auras as you are; with this damnable fog it feels like I'm going blind again!" Mousse's outburst was quickly silenced with a cane whacking, followed by a low groan.

"Great-grandmother, Mousse right about fog, but we make much better time if stupid pig-boy not get turned around so much!"

"Hey, BACK OFF! I'm doin' the best I can; you know I have a bad enough time as it is in GOOD weather!"

"Sweetie, it's okay, at least we're all still together, right?"

"That right, but Shampoo think we move faster if pig-boy stay behind!"

"Like hell I will! You think I'm just gonna sit around in this lousy weather and get lost again? Forget it!"

"Alright, everybody just SETTLE DOWN!" A long sigh. "Good grief, I'm getting too old for this sort of thing. Shampoo, take Mousse's hand. Mousse, find something in that robe of yours that Hibiki can hold on to. Right? Now, follow me, and quickly now! Who knows what's going on while we're here wasting our breath…"

--------------------

It didn't take more than a moment for Ranma's sense of fair play to overrule the private satisfaction he was getting from the spectacle before him. On one hand, he- and most of the others in the house- were rather glad to see the old pervert getting pummeled by Taro's flying fists, but at the same time a growing discomfort was lodging in his throat. First, the 'punishment' had quickly evolved into a form of torture, considering Happosai's immobility in midair via the chains. Second, the fact that Taro was standing in the midst of several demons- the leader of whom was casually examining his fingernails while Taro continued to pound Happi- led him, Akane and Shingen to a mutual and uncomfortable consensus. It was more than likely, they soon agreed via the Astral Link, that Taro had fallen into the grip of his own curse demon… or even, perhaps, the other way around. It was with those thoughts in mind that all three of them soon began pounding, slashing and kicking at the barricade of stone claws, chipping away fragments of it at a maddeningly slow pace. Shingen, for his part, quietly fumed that the confined quarters of the living room gave him no real space to properly swing his naginata.

"Hm. It seems your punishment is making the locals angry, young man," Astaroth mused casually. "Perhaps the old fool is willing to give you what you wish now."

Taro nodded and relented his assault, then lifted Happosai's face- which seemed to resemble a piece of hamburger- and stared right into his bloodshot eyes. "You hear that, 'father'? What's it going to be? Do you change my name or do I change forms and keep using you as a punching bag until you do?"

"N-no… p-please… wanna go h-home…"

"Answer me, Happosai." His hand went to the tiny man's gi top- which was threatening to fall apart- and lifted him up to his face. "What. Is. My. Name?"

"N-name… P-P-Pantyho…"

"NO!" Taro grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him till his eyes rattled. "The name _I_ wanted. Give it to me, or we go back to the exercises!" His right arm shot back, fist clenched, and Happosai began to shake again.

"NO… nononononono…" The breath left his body in nervous gasps, and he twisted his battered face away. "Y-you are… y-you are… A… A… Awe… some… T-Taro."

"There, you see?" said Astaroth calmly from the side. "All it took was a little persuasion, young fellow." Taro said nothing in response, but let the old man go and smiled coldly.

"Persuasion? Looked a lot more like beating a helpless old goat senseless, if ya ask me!" Ranma spat. _Even if he did kinda deserve it…_

Taro shot a scornful look in the general direction of the house. "Well now, is fem-boy going to complain about the fact that I taught this disgusting man a little lesson? I thought you hated him just as much as I do."

"That still don't make it right! And you ain't got any right to call me fem-boy any longer!" Ranma retorted, punching a stone spike hard enough to score it with tiny cracks.

"Don't provoke that guy too much, Ranma," Shingen piped up in an even tone. "I still can't get a clear read on his aura; something about the stone barricade must be interfering, but if he _has_ allied himself with those three we might be in a lot of trouble very soon."

Taro paid Shingen no mind, but quirked an eyebrow at Ranma's statement. "No right to call him… I didn't realize fem-boy had gotten that sensitive about his curse."

"Actually, young man, he speaks the truth." Taro turned to see Astaroth stepping up to Happosai's battered body once again. "The power behind his curse was expelled from his body and destroyed. He does not transform any longer… does he, Yoko?"

The black-haired girl nodded. "My brethren and I could not keep an eye on him always, but I did at least see him splashed with water once and not change. It served to confirm that Akureiko was destroyed." Taro raised a curious eyebrow at her words, but shook it off and turned his attention back to Happosai, not caring to give them a second thought.

Astaroth nodded slowly. "It would have been so much easier if he had let the spirit absorb him… or even if he had taken over the spirit's consciousness and gain the powers therein. Either way, it would have been a greater boon to my plans." He let out a dramatic sigh. "Still, the best laid plans of gods and men…" A light pause, and then he snapped his eyes back toward Happosai.

"Young Taro has received what he desired, filth. Now it is my turn."

"What?" Akane gasped, her fist stopping in midair inches from a badly cracked pillar. "Your turn? You mean you're going to do _more_ to…"

"I told you once already, girl. I have had to endure the humiliation of what this man did to me for a long time… not that time has much of a meaning to me. But existing in a crippled state for extended periods of time is something I am not terribly fond of. I had plans, you see.

"I had left unfinished business in this land… indeed, in this very ward. All those plans had to be set aside when Happosai locked me away… even with my viceroy acting in my stead, I could not complete my agenda from a distance. Nor could I free myself directly, with the way the old fool constructed his five-point prison. I had to find an alternate way. I sent out dozens of imps to watch this little bastard's every movement, while I took it upon myself to forge indirect countermeasures to my prison. Eventually all was in readiness- but to break the seals I needed multiple releases of ki energy, and not just any being's energy. It had to bear my mark.

"That was when I learned of the things the whelp had been up to in my absence. The scams. The atrocities." He gestured in Taro's direction. "Young Taro's involuntary evolution, even. I sent out my eyes and ears more frequently… and that was when I stumbled across something most interesting indeed.

"I found out who his students were… and more importantly, I learned of their children. AND their bloodline. Not to mention whispered rumors of a contract between families- a contract which would lead to the betrothal of two children with Demon Hunters' blood in their veins. The last living descendants of the Sagara and Saito clans, no less. I must say, when I learned of this possibility- not to mention the fact they would be related to this Accursed One's own school- I was not amused."

There was dead silence in the air as several pairs of eyes locked onto both Ranma and Akane. Soun's jaw hit the floor. Genma didn't seem to know what to do with his hands or what to say. Kasumi had both hands clasped over her mouth as she looked at Akane with astonishment, disbelief and worry all rolled in her eyes. Taro started to look bored.

"Think about it. The heirs to two branches of the Accursed One's school, with the potential to become Hunters of my kind as well. Of course, I had to do something about it." Astaroth paused to brush a speck of dust off his black cane. "That, of course, is when it all fell into place. What better way than to turn their lives upside down, cause endless havoc between the two houses and set in motion a select series of pawns to disrupt their lives endlessly. It seemed the perfect way to undo the Accursed One's life's work… and Yoko, though still an imp at the time, was _most_ cunning in the manner of marking suitable 'candidates' for my purposes. Particularly in marking candidates to act as the keys to my prison."

Ranma's face went white. "Wait a second… you don't mean…"

The black-haired girl giggled. "It was truly _such_ a fun time, you know, moving unnoticed by most everybody, picking those most suitable for chaos attraction and marking them as such… sometimes it was hard to choose, what with so _many_ magnificent candidates in this ward alone." She flipped her hair coyly. "I must say, though, I _most_ enjoyed the process of selecting strong curse-hosts for my Lord's awaiting brethren… a push here, a misstep there, a bit of misdirection at a crucial moment… it wasn't that hard to cajole certain powerful warriors towards the spring portals, especially one or two on the Master's revenge list. You practically walked right into it, you and your deceitful father both." She shot a meaningful glance in Ranma's direction. "The plan would have gone so much smoother, had you just listened to Akureiko's voice rather than have her expelled from your body, boy."

"Still, what's done is done," Astaroth added nonchalantly. "I had hoped the others would not meet the fate that befell them, but in the end their ki- marked just the same as you were- served my purpose. Their energy provided my release. Which is all that ever mattered, after all."

For another moment, there was absolute silence as many sets of eyes stared at the white-haired man… and the next moment, Ranma's eyes narrowed and his aura began to throb in increasingly powerful waves. "I… I don't believe this," he snarled, locking eyes with Astaroth. "Are you trying to tell me that all the hell I've endured for the last year and a half… that damn curse, who knows _how_ many rivals and just as many damned unexpected fiancées at the same time… getting tossed around, fought over, malleted, poisoned, charmed, damn near killed a few times… everything that's happened to me an' Akane was _your doing this whole time?_"

The white-haired man chuckled, brushing his hair back. "Hmph. If you want to lay blame for your suffering, boy, lay it at the feet of the puny man before you." He tapped a fingernail pointedly on Happosai's forehead, eliciting a barely-conscious groan. "I might not have even noticed you were it not for your family's association with this maggot. But to answer your question… as I couldn't very well leave his school unpunished, and of what might happen should you and the Saito girl grow close…" His lip curled into a cold smile. "What do you think?"

"You SON OF A BITCH!" Ranma's aura practically exploded, engulfing his entire body in cold blue flame as he jerked his right hand back and punched forward with all his might. Flesh and bone met stone pillar once again with a horrific shudder- and a second later cracks raced along it from tip to base, followed by the rock shattering into several hundred slivers. Akane gasped and tried to grab hold of his shirt to stop him, but Ranma had already planted one foot on the remnants of the pillar and sprang through the barricade, into the backyard. His form blurred for an instant as he rocketed towards Astaroth in a boiling rage, ki wreathing both fists. He ducked low, changed directions at the last second and exploded into a vicious Amaguriken barrage…

He was so intent on beating the man's face in, so suddenly filled with the accumulated anger of the last year's Hell on Earth that he had endured, that for a microsecond he failed to notice the defiant smirk Astaroth was sporting. His eyes suddenly widened as Astaroth ducked low and to the side, letting Ranma's rapid-fire punches sail over one shoulder for a brief instant- and the next instant, the white-haired man had driven his knee directly into Ranma's gut. The impact knocked the air out of Ranma's lungs and sent him flying backwards across the yard, where he collided with the stone pillar barricade and crumpled to the ground, doubled over and gasping for breath.

"Ranma!" Akane gasped as she scrambled through the hole in the barricade and knelt by his side. Behind her, Shingen gritted his teeth and roundhouse-kicked another severely cracked pillar, breaking it off at the base before jumping through, weapon at the ready.

"Heh. Looks like fem-boy let his anger get the better of him," Taro drawled from the side. "Getting a little sloppy there, 'Grandmaster'."

"Shut up!" Ranma spat, coughing and pulling up to his knees. "Least I ain't knockin' around town with a damn demon like _you_ are, bastard!"

"Who said I was knocking around town with them?" Taro replied with a shrug. "I just happened to be heading this way when the fog rolled in and they showed up. I had business with the old goat, they had business with the old goat. Makes no difference to me what they are; I got what I wanted in the end." He reached up and smoothed his hair back.

"Quite right. And now that you've been satisfied, young man, I believe it is time for me to take what is due." Astaroth turned back to face the bound and spreadeagled Happosai again and clutched his cane in both hands. The jewel set in the top of the cane began to scintillate. "You've suffered much today, Little Happosai. Very much, indeed. But rest assured, your suffering has only just begun. I've waited a long time for this moment… and Zangyaku has grown most hungry."

His right hand gripped the top of the black cane and pulled in one quick, fluid motion as the jewel at the top flashed, sending a wash of purple light across the ground that caught Ranma, Akane and Shingen in its wake; thin ropes of energy emerged from the light and stuck to their legs, lower bodies and the ground beneath, quickly binding them in place. The cane separated roughly ten inches from the amethyst, revealing a shining inch of steel- which quickly grew as he pulled, revealing a concealed straight-edged katana blade with whorls of black seemingly etched into the metal. Happosai's eyes widened in sudden horror…

Ranma, Akane and the rest of the Tendo household gasped. Shingen stared, struggling to break free of the strands locking his legs. Taro blinked in sudden surprise…

The girl called Yoko licked her lips as the blade came down…

… Happosai barely had time to let out a strangled scream before the ground beneath him was suddenly painted red. A horrific gash ran across his tiny body, which suddenly erupted in blue-white fire as Astaroth jammed the tip of the sword directly into the ancient man's chest. The fire twisted, turned, then burst outward from his body with an unearthly screech, siphoning through the air and into the black markings on the blade. Before anyone else had time to react, the blue fire disappeared completely and the blade was withdrawn from the twitching Happosai. An instant later, Yoko had stepped forward and gripped the bound old man by the neck.

"Ashes to ashes…" was all she said before tendrils of fire burst out of the tattoo on her arm, snaking themselves around the old man before exploding in raw, unbridled fury. A moment later, the Tengu's chains dropped away and the girl released her grip, letting a tiny, charred body collapse motionless on the ground before her.

For a long moment, the silence in the backyard was deafening.

"… Oh… Oh my God…"

Kasumi didn't say much more before fainting into Nodoka's arms. Nodoka, for her part, was trying very hard not to start shaking or faint herself. Nabiki dropped her camera; Ukyo lost her grip on her battle spatula. Soun and Genma both appeared to have turned completely white.

Taro slowly turned where he stood, shock evident in his eyes. "What did you…" He shook his head as Astaroth tilted his head to look at him. "You… you _killed_ him?"

"I granted him the power of Agelessness long ago, before he betrayed and bound me," murmured Astaroth emotionlessly as he shook the blood from his blade. "Call it a revocation of that gift." He lifted the sword up and stared into the black patterns along the spine. "He wanted eternity, and now he has it… along with the hundreds of souls trapped, over time, within Zangyaku's blade. An eternity of torment and pain. A suitable punishment, don't you think?"

Taro's eyes widened. "This… was _not_ what I had in mind for that old man. Punishment, hell yes, the goat deserved it for what he did to me and just about everyone else, but I didn't want to _kill_ him!" _I just wanted to keep him around as a punching bag, not wipe him off the face of the Earth…_

"That, young Taro, is where we differ, I suppose." He shut his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly. "A pity. I thought you might have been more inclined to agree with me, from the way I had observed you in passing…"

"And what the hell's THAT supposed to mean?" Taro snapped. "Are you saying I look like a killer or something? Or _act_ like one?"

"My, my. Quick-tempered as always, aren't you." Astaroth shook his head again, then laughed. "You should feel good about what has transpired. You got what you desired, as I said you would. I now have part of what I desire, and the rest will be soon to come." Another pause. An instant later there was a flash of steel as Astaroth swung his sword in a horizontal arc, the sound of steel on flesh and dragon scales, a spray of blood, and suddenly Taro was sprawled on the ground, clutching at the fresh wound across his chest.

"I have no use for a half-breed, in any case- much less one who disagrees with my methods," the white-haired man sneered emotionlessly as he slammed the sword back into its cane-sheath. "Live or die now, it makes no difference to me. You may not bear my mark, but in the end you're little more than a pawn like all the rest. And besides- you're the result of Happosai's interference in things, too."

"You monster!" Akane shouted, pulling up to a crouch as best she could, fighting against the pull of the ki ribbons on her body. "Happosai may have been the biggest pervert on the planet, and a Grade-A jerk, but NOBODY deserves to go through what you just did!"

The demon snapped his head around, hitting Akane dead-on with a sub-zero glare. "And who are you to tell me what to do, little Huntress? The heir to Saito is going to lecture _me_ on proper conduct when she spent the last year letting her temper get the best of her? Pummeling a man she 'loved' for the slightest perceived infraction?"

"I MADE A MISTAKE!" she screamed, pushing away the sudden rush of guilt. "I wasn't thinking… didn't mean to… I made a goddamned mistake…"

"Indeed," Astaroth mused haughtily. "A great many, at that. If only Akureiko could have prodded him into making you commit more of those 'mistakes'… she might have succeeded in pushing you two apart. A pity his feelings for you kept most of her influence at bay." He sighed. "A pity, too, that it was her marked ki and not his that broke the first seal of my prison upon its destruction."

"That DOES it! I've heard just about all I care to from you, demon!" Shingen roared as white-gold ki erupted from his body, snapping the tie that kept his hair in a ponytail and giving his eyes the appearance of miniature suns. The ribbons of ki binding his legs suddenly snapped; even the ground began to crack under his feet. _I've held back my trump card far too long… I can't afford to get approval from Father or any other Master Hunter at this stage, not with a Class Omega threat right in front of me. I have to release my weapon's lock. Official or not, the Archangel Protocol is in effect for as long as this monster is active!_ The tall man gripped his naginata just below the blade and twisted the staff a quarter turn; as he did, the weapon gave off another pulse of energy and the blade seemed to become a thing of pure light. The metal suddenly split at intervals along the blade's length, with tiny protrusions suddenly jutting out, giving it the appearance of a saw-toothed spear. "As a warrior of clan Yamashira, I will not allow _any further bloodshed_ by your hand!" He swung the naginata up over his head. "Now… _uncoil, Karasuhebi!_ CHAIN BLADE!"

The naginata snapped downward in a diagonal arc- and Ranma's eyes widened, as did Akane's, as the serrated blade abruptly grew longer. With a series of fluid metallic snaps, each split section of the blade pulled apart, held together by a sort of silver cable that threaded through the length of each section, until what had been a two-edged halberd had become a massively long, serpentine chain of razor-sharp blades attached to the naginata's staff. The thing twisted in midair as if alive, then with a twist and thrust of the staff end, shot low across the ground before snapping upward again, rearing up like a cobra ready to strike. Astaroth's eye twitched as the length hurtled towards him- and an instant later, he had been impaled through the stomach while the tip hooked backwards behind him, reared around and whipped around his neck.

"Holy moly!" Ranma gasped as he suddenly snapped free of the ki tendrils himself. "What kinda trick is that?"

Akane said nothing in reply, but stared at the point of entry on Astaroth's body. _I had no idea Shingen could do that with his weapon… but did it do the trick?_

Astaroth looked down at his stomach… and began to laugh.

"You still don't understand yet, do you, boy," he purred. "There's a reason why referring to the demigod Saffron in the same breath as me is a mistake, as I said before." He reached down and took hold of the chain blade with his bare hand. "That so-called deity is reborn upon his death…" He twisted his hand, wrapping the links around his forearm. Shingen stared in shock and angrily whipped the staff back, but the chain refused to move- and before Shingen could react in any way, Astaroth snapped his arm back, yanking the Hunter across the backyard and driving his left fist directly into his stomach with devastating force. Shingen's eyes snapped wide open and he crumbled to the ground, coughing up a small quantity of blood.

"I, on the other hand, _do not die._ If you want to kill me, you have to make me bleed first." The naginata slipped from Shingen's hand, and the snakelike chain blade shrank and pulled free from Astaroth's abdomen- which bore no evidence that there had been any injury. Even his cassock appeared untouched. "And in case you were wondering… _no man has ever made me bleed._" He shoved the cane back into the sash at his waist, then turned and thrust both hands towards Akane and Ranma, who were only just getting over their most recent shock. Indigo light surged out of his palms and crashed into the two teens; they barely had time to register the attack and thrust their own hands forward in a desperate counter. Dark ki met reddish-gold ki in a maelstrom of wind and noise before Astaroth's attack finally overwhelmed the two and broke through their aura shields, pummeling their bodies and knocking them into the remaining stone pillars surrounding the Tendo house.

Yoko laughed and brushed her hair back as the two teens collapsed next to one another, still breathing but barely conscious. "Still green, I see. Couldn't even stand against Astaroth-sama's Dark Thunder," she giggled sadistically.

"Indeed, it seems a shame to do such able warriors in so quickly," the white-haired demon replied. "I believe it is time we took our leave. There is much to be done… and I plan to enjoy the elimination of the Accursed One's school for as long as possible." He turned and nodded to the Tengu, who grunted and whipped his right arm forward; chains exploded from his forearm once again, this time battering the golden ki shield surrounding the house. Genma, Nodoka and the others gasped as sparks flew between the chains and the shield for several long seconds, until, with a horrific ripping sound, the shield bulged, split, and finally ripped apart under the onslaught of the Tengu's weapons.

"Imagine. That foolhardy Yamashira actually thought a mere temporary warding could hold back one such as you, Kurowashi?" Astaroth chuckled. "Such typical Hunter arrogance, really. And now…" He cast a roving eye across those in the room, finally coming to rest on the unconscious Kasumi and trembling Nodoka. "Yes. They shall be our welcome guests, those two… the perfect company while we wait for the two Hunter fledglings to find us. Don't you think so?" Yoko nodded maliciously; Nodoka's blood turned to ice. Soun began to verge on total non-functionality.

"I won't allow it!"

Nodoka stopped trembling for an instant, her fearful look replaced with one of shock and surprise as Genma rose, slowly but surely, to his feet. "I may not understand what's happened here today," he said in a measured tone, barely maintaining control. "I don't understand a lot of things, least of all what you've been saying about my son. I won't deny the power I felt just now, and I can't deny the fact that your very presence scares the hell out of me. Moreover… I can't say that I'm not afraid, and that part of me doesn't want to run far away right now." He took a deep breath and cracked his knuckles. "But I can say one thing. I've done far too much running in my pathetic life, and this is one time I'm not going to run away… so… if you're going to intrude on this house any further than you have…" He swallowed hard, beating his base instincts down as hard as he could. "Then you'll have to go through me first."

Nodoka's hand went to her mouth. "G-Genma…" _Why? Why are you doing this when you saw what they just did? M-my son… Akane… even Shingen-kun couldn't hurt him… so why?_

Astaroth frowned. "Hm. It would seem you have some guts after all, fat fool. Yoko, go through him."

"Thank you, my Lord." The dark-haired girl flexed her hands, her nails elongating and growing sharper. She crouched low, then sprang forward at lightning speed. There was a flash, the sound of cloth tearing… and an instant later Genma dropped to his knees, blood welling out of a series of cuts across his stomach and deep gouges in his right thigh and ankle. Nodoka screamed. Ukyo and Nabiki backed away as fast as they could until they met the wall. Soun's sensibilities overloaded and, once again, he fainted.

"Don't be so melodramatic," Yoko sneered, her nails shortening to a more normal size. She looked at the blood on her fingers amusedly, then dragged her index fingers across her cheekbones, just under the eyes, smearing the blood as if it were war paint. "He'll live. Once the young ones out there recover, they'll mend him soon enough."

"Indeed. And once they have recovered, they'll come looking for us… and the game begins anew, my child," Astaroth replied with a nod, then turned to the Tengu. "Kurowashi. Take the women, and do be careful not to injure them. They are, after all, our guests." The Tengu nodded with a low chuckle and seized both Kasumi and a teary-eyed Nodoka, pulling them beneath his massive arms.

"When the young ones come to, tell them I shall be waiting at the Unfinished Gate. The light will show them the way." The white-haired man chuckled malevolently and turned on one heel, practically floating as he stepped out of the house with the imp-turned-Fury Yoko beside him, and Kurowashi close behind with his human cargo. A quick hop and the demonic trio stood atop the estate wall. Another jump, and they disappeared once more into the fog, leaving Ranma, Akane and Shingen sprawled on the ground coughing for breath, Taro and Genma both clutching at their wounds, and the burnt remains of what used to be Happosai.

Ranma staggered to his knees, drawing in ragged breaths as angry tears streaked his face and fire erupted in his eyes. "N-no… damn it all… bastard…" He pulled himself up and punched the ground as Akane rolled onto her side and groaned.

"ASTAROTH! I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!"

To Be Continued.

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Author's note 2/27/06: Well, it seems no matter how much I try to keep my chapters a reasonable size, they just keep getting long. Must be the fact that I love detail. Now, before you say anything, when I started this chronicle I never indicated I was going to pull any punches. Nor did I say that anyone was safe from death. Now that Astaroth is on the loose after a 200 year imprisonment, I personally would be amazed if he DIDN'T get a little Medieval on Happi's ass. Of course, it's to be seen what may or may not happen now that he's bound inside of Zangyaku's blade… I'm not going to drop any hints, but be aware that from this point on anything can happen and probably will. Especially with a demon of this caliber on the loose in Nerima and a fog full of fiendish helpers.

For those curious about Yoko's appearance, I was very heavily influenced by the manga Battle Angel Alita(Gunnm in the original Japanese), and yes, she is practically the spitting image of Gally/Alita. Their personalities, on the other hand, are quite different…

T'an-mo, the name Happosai addressed Astaroth by, is the name of a Chinese devil of desire. Astaroth's 'proper' name appears in multiple sources, as alluded to in a previous chapter. One source cites Astaroth as a Grand Duke of Hell, who seduces via laziness and vanity. This, however, may refer to the Elder Astaroth; the white-haired demon did state the name was handed down by his father, so he may be Astaroth the Younger. I leave the interpretation up to you. The name of his sword, Zangyaku, means 'brutality' in Japanese, while the name of Shingen's naginata, Karasuhebi, translates as 'black snake'.

As I mentioned, pretty much all hell has broken loose in Nerima… but as you well know, especially in the case of the Ranmaverse, it is often darkest just before the sun rises. It's not over yet. I'll do my best to get a new installment in soon, but I can't say when- I had to deal with a bunch of bad days this month and still get this chapter taken care of at the same time. Thanks for all your reviews; they keep me going. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	37. Eye of the Hurricane

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. We now rejoin our story in progress.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 37: Eye of the Hurricane

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It seemed as though all of Nerima ward had become engulfed in the cold gray fog, which continued to worm its way through the streets and side alleys like a horde of cockroaches in a sewer. It had started to thin in places the longer it spread, but in spite of slightly improved visibility there remained a palpable dread in the air. Odd laughter continued to ring out at varying intervals, with occasional growls and a baying akin to wolves, which only served to fuel the growing panic of those who still remained in the streets. Some people began darting indoors at the nearest opportunities, others stayed rooted to the spot, waiting for something to happen. A few hooligans attempted to take advantage of the lingering 'wrongness' for some quick-and-dirty looting, but their attempts were quickly put down by frantic shopkeepers already on edge from the weather.

The laughter began to grow louder. People grew even more on edge, and in some cases tempers started flaring. Fights began to break out… which was when dozens of shadows began emerging from the mist. Shadows of small creatures with six-fingered hands, their gray skin blending with the fog, rendering them nigh invisible apart from their vibrant green eyes. Other shadows began to emerge just beyond… large snakelike shadows… canine shadows… even a few large humanoid figures grew vaguely visible in the viscous, cold miasma.

The fog continued to roil and undulate, spreading outward like ripples on a pond from a single point- a rather infamous Nerima high school building. Nary a person remained on the school grounds; when the cloud had first descended upon the roof and begun to grow, most of the remaining students had remembered the events of the past few days and had beat a hasty retreat, leaving soccer balls and baseball equipment scattered in their wake. The faculty had soon followed; even Miss Hinako had departed the building, her nerves still on edge from the previous day's 'incident'. Hikaru Gosunkugi had very nearly been left behind; he had been so preoccupied with pounding Ranma voodoo dolls that he didn't notice the fog until it touched his ankles. Once he did notice it, of course, he had promptly lost control of his bladder and suddenly became a prime candidate for the Furinkan track team as he raced home.

A petite female figure on the roof giggled. "Sounds like fun out there, my Lord," she purred, flicking a lock of hair with her fingernail. "So many humans to play with, so little time… it must be so _delicious_ out there right now."

"Indeed it is, Yoko," said Astaroth as he approached her, arms folded. "And you well know, this is only the beginning. It won't be long before those humans start turning in all directions, like rats in a flood. And our brethren have only just begun to gather in the mists- imagine what it will be like when the Unfinished Gate is unsealed and the final wardings set."

"Mmm… shall I venture out and stir things up a little, my Lord?" the dark-haired girl asked, licking her lips.

"Patience, child. Let our lesser kin have their fun for now," he replied, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I of all people know how tempting it is at the moment… but I also know a far greater pleasure awaits us. Besides, there is much to be done." He turned and paced away from the edge of the school roof. "That contemptible Happosai's prison kept me from my work far too long… though I must confess, the incomplete glyph did do an admirable job attracting chaos to this ward, even in my absence. Especially when it resonated with those bearing my mark."

"My Lord," rumbled the basso voice of Kurowashi, "there is something I have been wondering for a while now. If I may speak freely…" The black Tengu stood near the stairwell shed some distance from the roof's edge, with two unconscious females wrapped in silver chains at his feet.

"You may ask whatever you wish, Kurowashi."

The Tengu's birdlike head nodded as he folded his arms. "I understand your desire to undo the Accursed One's school; there is no question about that. I only wonder at the necessity of bringing the human females with us. Not only are they excess weight to have around, it seems the Saotome youth would have been provoked into pursuit regardless of whether we had taken them or not. You know full well, Lord Astaroth, how the boy loves a challenge."

Astaroth smirked. "That I am well aware of, my friend," he replied, running his fingers along the length of his sword-cane. "But I am also well aware of the deep attachment he and the Tendo girl have to their families. You see those two women as mere bait." He gestured to the slumped figures of Nodoka and Kasumi. "I see them as a means to incite the two of them into _true_ fury. Surely you didn't think such a quick victory over Sagara and Saito's heirs would satisfy me?"

The Tengu nodded slowly. "You plan to bring out the true warriors within them."

"I plan to do more than that," Astaroth mused with a sneer. "I intend to make this a night to remember. I know what those two are capable of- remember, I have watched them through Yoko's eyes for quite some time." He drew the cane from the sash at his waist. "Perhaps I have not been able to see _everything_ that they have accomplished, but I have seen enough. And I, too, enjoy a challenge."

"Even though they may pose a threat to you, my Lord?"

The white-haired man's head snapped back towards Kurowashi. "There is no threat. And I would advise you not to suggest such a thing again, lest you value your existence on this plane."

The Tengu started, then bowed its head. "Of course. I apologize, Lord Astaroth." Astaroth narrowed his eyes for a moment, then nodded.

"I will not deny, had the Saotome boy not been angered sufficiently he might have actually made contact with me," he mused in a low tone. "Though the way he is now… I sincerely doubt the boy could have done anything to permanently wound me."

"Of course not; as you said yourself, my Lord, no man yet has been able to make you bleed!" Yoko exclaimed, bouncing on her heels with glee. "But you will almost certainly make _him_ bleed, won't you?"

Astaroth's face molded into a sadistic sneer. "I fully intend to make him bleed copiously before I put an end to his bloodline, Yoko. Him and his pitiful fiancée, both." He turned towards her and gave her a long look. "However… I suppose I would be remiss if I were to deny either of you your own pound of flesh. Am I correct?"

The smaller girl's eyes sparkled in the mist. "I would love nothing more, my Lord, than to deal my fair share of pain and suffering… especially to that girl…" She licked her lips. "After all those months of prodding her to batter Saotome, all the time spent watching them, it would be _ecstasy_ to batter her in return…"

"Spoken like a true Paingiver," Astaroth chuckled. "Bear in mind, though, you have only just grown into your new body. You may have been able to flay Saotome's pathetic father, but the girl may be another story."

"I have watched her a long time, my Lord," Yoko pleaded. "Perhaps there have been times I did not see _everything_ she was doing, but I know her like the back of my hand. Even with the awakening blood within her, I know what that girl can do. Please…" She sidled up to Astaroth and rubbed against his right side seductively. "Please, Astaroth-sama… let me make her squirm?"

Astaroth began to laugh. "My dear Yoko… you truly are priceless." He reached over and lifted her chin up with his left hand. "By all means… you may make her squirm. But _only_ when I say you may. No sooner."

"Thank you, my Lord!" she gushed, taking his hand and kissing it.

"And what of me, Master?" Kurowashi rumbled. "How shall I act?"

The white-haired man furrowed his brow for a moment, then smiled. "Divide and conquer, my friend. I fully expect those Hunter scum to approach en masse, rather than opt for the knife in the back. And they will know I am expecting it. All you need do is what you do best, and eliminate their strength in numbers." He paused, then smiled. "If you wish, you can take your pick of whichever warrior you choose; deal with them as you will, but the Saotome youth is _mine_. I want him at least breathing by the time he reaches this place."

"As you wish, Lord Astaroth," the Tengu grunted, a birdlike grin on his face. "And what of the Unfinished Gate?"

Astaroth nodded and gripped his sword cane tightly in his right hand. "Best not to let it sleep any longer. This structure has sat atop it long enough." He lifted the cane over his head, which seemed to pulse steadily with an inner heartbeat all its own. "_What has lain dormant these years, your Master has returned. Awaken, that you may achieve completion!_"

The butt of the cane slammed down, striking the rooftop with a devastating crack that thundered the entire length and breadth of the school grounds and caused the prone Kasumi and Nodoka to stir and shudder slightly. Cracks exploded outward from the point of impact, both to the left and right and also directly away from Astaroth before shooting down the school walls; in two instances, cracks ran directly down either side of the front door of Furinkan, then shot across the ground, making a beeline for the school gates. The fissures in the walls spawned further secondary cracks, which in turn spawned cracks of their own until, with a great roar, an entire section of the front of the school imploded in on itself with a mighty groan. The walls crumbled in on top of the front doors, which were soon engulfed by the ground beneath it as the very foundation gave way, creating a one-story sinkhole in the midst of the school grounds.

Indigo light began to boil out of the hole as Astaroth swung his cane again, poised on the edge of the broken roof. A faint eldritch pattern flickered once at the bottom of the depression, then grew brighter, forming a broken wheel of runes and sigils that sparked madly and began to secrete deep blue smoke. The white-haired demon's amethyst eyes narrowed and he thrust his cane forward. The jewel set in his cane blazed violet, and an instant later, crimson light erupted from the edges of the sinkhole and raced through the parallel fissures that led to the front gate. The ground shook violently- and the schoolyard abruptly exploded in a maelstrom of dust and broken rock as jagged black stone pillars erupted from the ground. Each pillar was easily the thickness of a telephone pole and stood at a set distance from one another, forming a row of spires in a manner that seemed to mimic traditional Japanese temple arches- and mock them at the same time. Along the school walls, additional, smaller pillars speared upward, until the entire area seemed to be ringed with black stone talons.

Astaroth surveyed the grounds and nodded as the pattern several stories beneath him throbbed and sent out occasional tendrils of electricity. "Yes… yes, this will do for now. Now to set about finishing the Gate… and prepare for our guests' arrival."

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"I was afraid something was going to happen; in all my three hundred years I've seldom felt energy of that nature and _not_ seen something disastrous come of it." A sharp intake of breath brought Cologne's attention back to the body beneath her. "Take it easy, of course it's going to sting a little. Stubborn little mule, that's what you are," she reprimanded, using a gnarled finger to smear an herbal coagulant on Genma's belly.

"Too bad you all weren't here five minutes ago. You missed all the fun," Nabiki muttered humorlessly from where she sat on the porch, staring at a blackened spot on the ground. The barrier shield around the house had begun to flicker back into existence, but some of the runes had yet to fully recover, leaving the shield thin in places.

"Fun nothing, looks like a tsunami hit this place," said Ryoga, shaking his head as he surveyed the remains of the stone barricade around the house; most of the pillars had caved in upon themselves following the departure of their creator. "Is this all something to do with that damn fog in the streets? And what's with the scorch marks, something catch on fire?"

"Take a closer look, Hibiki," Shingen said as he kneeled next to Taro, focusing a Naosu Kousen on his torso. The wounded part-time minotaur didn't push him away, due to a pressure point-induced sleep he was in. "Some_one_ caught on fire." Ryoga blinked, turned to look at the scorched heap more closely- and promptly turned white.

"Wait a sec… is that… is _that_…"

Cologne shook her head slowly. "That, I'm afraid, _was_ Happosai, young man." Shampoo, who was holding the medicine jar for Cologne, gasped and turned to look so fast that she nearly dropped the jar.

"Aiya… is that what Great-grandmother mean when mention aura disappear?"

Cologne nodded, then turned to see several sets of questioning eyes. "On our way here, it wasn't hard for me to feel a tremendous gathering of ki in this area. I could tell something was afoot… when I felt one aura tremble, flicker and vanish, I won't deny that it chilled my old bones. Especially given whose aura it was; I wasn't totally certain, but it felt too much like the old goat for it to be coincidence."

Akari, who was tending to a still-unconscious Soun, was trembling. "But why? Why would all this be happening? What kind of a monster would _do_ such a thing?"

"A twisted one… some jerk so hell-bent on revenge he'd go so far as to wreck dozens of lives just because of one pint-sized old lecher…" Everyone glanced in the direction of the speaker, who sat at the far end of the porch tending to the bruises on Akane's back. His voice was calm, but with a definite undercurrent of mixed emotions that weren't hard to recognize. Anger, fear, lingering shock… and, to the heightened senses of at least two people, no small amount of self-loathing.

Akane stirred and turned her head to look her fiancé in the eye. _Ranma, settle down,_ she whispered through the Astral. _You couldn't have known this was going to happen, right? None of us could have known…_

Ranma took a deep breath. "All this time… that white-haired bastard was pulling the strings all along…" He sighed and shook his head. "And I broke my own damn rule, too… let him get to me, got myself caught off balance 'cause I was riled up…"

"Hey, would somebody mind telling ME who or what did all of this?" Ryoga piped up. "Kami's sake, if there's something out there tough enough to do _this_," he pointed at the charred body beneath him, "to the old man, I'd like to at least know what it is we're dealing with! I mean, who's to say it's not going to start doing this to everybody in sight?"

"Hibiki, will you calm down?" Mousse snapped as he and Ukyo emerged from the kitchen with clean washcloths. "You're not the only one who'd like to find out; I for one have no desire to sit around and wait for this to happen to anyone else."

"Be that as it may, this _isn't_ your fight," Shingen replied, getting to his feet. "This is something a lot bigger than either one of you. Definitely bigger than what I was expecting…" He shook his head and folded his arms. "This is a Named Spirit. A demon bearing a True Name, meaning either an avatar or, in this case, apparently the heir to the powers and lineage of one of the nobility of Hell itself. And if that wasn't bad enough, this one has the services of a Fury and a Greater Tengu at its disposal."

Mousse and Ryoga both stared. "Heir to the nobility of Hell?"

"In other words, a grade-A powerful jackass demon," Ukyo mused mirthlessly. "I figured as much, given what I just saw…"

"And on top of that, those bastards decided to take Kasumi and Ranma's mother with them," Akane spat.

"They did WHAT?"

"They took my mom and Kasumi as hostages, Ryoga," Ranma growled as he and Akane stood up. "They want us to follow them; it's just like that time on Toma's island. 'Cept Toma didn't really want us to follow, he just wanted a bride. This guy…" He blew out a long breath and his jaw hardened. "He wants us dead."

Ryoga shook his head and put his jaw back in place. "Wants you DEAD? What the hell for? What'd you do to piss of someone who could burn up Happosai, of all people?"

"He didn't do anything, Ryoga, and neither did I!" Akane snapped, giving Ryoga an icy glare. "What makes you think _he_ started anything, huh?"

"Alright, settle down, all of you," said Shingen in an even, firm tone. "The simple fact of the matter is, because of the matter of this Happosai angering a demon, and because of their latent Hunter blood, this being called Astaroth seems to have been setting events in motion to destroy not only Happosai's school, but the two bloodlines as well. And given what I know from our libraries, the odds are somewhat in his favor." He shook his head and looked Ranma in the eye. "Remember I mentioned Saffron? What I was about to tell you, was that Astaroth is rumored in Hunter lore to be a demon with power equal to Saffron… possibly even more so. Judging by what he did, the lore has some truth to it."

Shampoo stared. "Man more powerful than Phoenix god-king? Great-grandmother, is no possible, is it?"

"I'm afraid it may be possible, child," the aged Elder replied as she applied the herbal salve to Genma's leg wounds. "The ki I felt not long ago was most powerful… so much so, I daresay I felt like a frightened youth." She shuffled further down Genma's leg, making room as Shingen entered the tearoom and placed his thumbs and index fingers in a triangle pattern, executing the Naosu Kousen on the older Saotome's wounds.

"And I let that son of a bitch take a free shot at me… gods, I am such an idiot…"

"Ranma, you're not an idiot," Akane said in a gentle yet stern tone. "I just about reacted the same way you did when he said what he said…"

"And what did he say?" asked Mousse, an eyebrow raised. Akane started to say something, then faltered. _This is not going to be received well,_ she thought. She cleared her throat.

"That he was responsible for at least Ranma's cursing at Jusenkyo… as well as several others…"

"He WHAT?" several people shouted at once, very nearly causing the comatose Soun to wake up.

"Would everybody please just SHUT UP?" Nabiki snapped. "Look, you can all talk about how all-powerful this Astaroth freak is and what he may or may not have done till the cows come home, but that's not going to do a DAMN thing about the fact that right now, he and that little entourage of his are running around Nerima right now with my sister and Auntie Saotome in tow! Okay, so he had some sort of grudge against Happosai; okay, so he's been pulling strings behind the scenes! I'm not saying the whole thing isn't a big deal, and I won't deny it kinda shocked the hell out of me, but what I want to know is WHAT do we do now? Answer me that! Just what the hell are you guys going to do about it?" Her fists were clenched and shaking, and Akane could just barely make out a tear threatening to leak out of Nabiki's eye.

"Oneechan…" was all Akane could say. Ryoga blinked in surprise, forgetting the rant he had been about to deliver regarding the curses. Mousse stared at the mercenary Tendo, who took a long, shuddering breath and wiped her eyes with her forearm brusquely.

"Sorry," Nabiki said in a subdued voice. "Got a little carried away for a moment there… guess I wasn't really expecting everything that just went down, that's all…"

"It's okay," Shingen replied softly. "None of us were; you had every right to say what you did." His fingers separated and he bent down to examine Genma's leg wounds. "And you're right, we do have to do something about this. The only trouble is, I'm not sure where to begin." He pursed his lips, shifting his perception to get a better look at the Fury's handiwork before getting up again. "You'd better keep off that leg for a little while, Saotome-san; I've done what I can, but those claw wounds went a lot deeper than I expected." Genma said nothing, but grunted in agreement.

"Didn't that guy say something about being at an Unfinished Gate?" Ukyo mused.

"Yeah, that's what he said," said Ranma as he brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Personally, I don't think finding him's gonna be the problem."

Akane nodded. "He mentioned something about how we have to make him bleed before he can be defeated…"

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad," Ryoga protested. "If we can catch this guy off guard, hit him when he's least expecting it…"

"First off, Hibiki, I told you this isn't your fight, and secondly, you don't understand what we're talking about." Shingen leaned heavily on the staff of his naginata. "I had a chance to examine Astaroth's aura, and there's a definite Contingency embedded in his ki." He shook his head. "I thought for sure I could overcome it, but…"

"Contingency? What that mean?" Shampoo asked, befuddled.

"Basically, this being has an enchantment on him that means he can't be injured unless a select set of circumstances are met. That's probably what he meant by making him bleed before he can be defeated."

Shingen glanced up in surprise- as did Cologne, Ryoga and Ranma. "That's exactly what it means," Shingen said at length. "You're pretty quick on the uptake, Mousse."

Ranma blinked. _Guess the guy's not as dim as he looks, huh?_ Akane rolled her eyes and swatted him lightly on the arm. _Hey, I was just jokin' around a bit, Acchan,_ he started mentally protesting before catching the faint impish grin on her face.

"In any case," Shingen continued, "I could tell it would take something unusual to inflict lasting damage to him. And knowing what I do about Omega-Class demonic threats- and this one qualifies, I promise you- I thought for sure my trump card could break through his defense mechanism." He crossed his arms and stared at a spot on the floor. "Apparently, I was wrong."

"Trump card?" Ukyo blinked and crossed to him. "You mean that 'chain blade' trick you did?"

He nodded. "I haven't encountered a demonic threat that wasn't affected by Karasuhebi's released state. At least till now…"

"Released state? Ya mind explainin' that a little bit, Shin? And what's with that name? I never heard ya call your weapon anything before…"

Shingen glanced up in Ranma's direction. "It never came up, that's why I never mentioned its name." He hefted the naginata in one hand. "I was planning to bring it up once I'd had a chance to train you both a bit more in Hunter techniques, but I guess now's as good a time as any. Especially now that we're dealing with a threat of this nature.

"You already know Hunter weapons are hardly normal weapons. Everything about them, be it steel, leather or willow wood, is carefully treated and imbued with Hunter magic during their construction- partly to act as a channel for positive ki, partly to make its very touch anathema to demons." He paused. "Moreover, every Hunter weapon- be it a bow, a spear, dagger, anything- has its own name. A name that comes about from the binding of a summoned shikigami into the weapon as it is being enchanted. This makes Hunter weapons more than tools… it makes them our allies."

Cologne stared in amazement. "Great heavens… not unlike the weapons of legend that the ancient Joketsuzoku forged so long ago… I'd heard tales that there were other tribes who created such weapons, but most thought that only the Phoenix or Musk had that sort of power." _Though I must say, it's not really that surprising…_

"Wait a second… are you telling me that that spear of yours has some kind of spirit trapped inside of it?" Ryoga piped up.

"Not trapped, Ryoga," Shingen replied with a cold glare. "They choose to join the fight against demon kind. Their alliance with the Hunters has been a tradition going back many hundreds of years." He tilted the naginata, letting the light from the ceiling lamp play along the engraved kanji on the staff. "Not only do they give each weapon a distinct name, they give it something more. A power that remains locked within, which can only be unleashed when the Hunter knows his weapon's name… and when no other recourse is available."

"So that's what that was," Akane breathed. "You were releasing that weapon's lock."

The taller Hunter nodded. "I figured Karasuhebi's Coiled Chain Blade was the best chance to stop that man. And once again, I let my impulses guide my hand instead of proceeding with caution. Damn it…"

For a brief moment, nobody said anything. Shampoo glanced outside, biting her lip at the sight of the fog beginning to darken. Ryoga scratched his head. Mousse nodded to himself, a pensive look on his face. Shingen simply gritted his teeth in disgust.

"So… if that 'released state' didn't do anything, how do we deal with this?" Ranma asked pointedly. "How do we make that guy bleed?"

Shingen looked up. "I don't know." He flexed his right hand, then set the naginata down and tightened the straps on his gloves. "I'm not even sure what the Contingency on him is. It might be that his vulnerable spot is consolidated, or maybe he has a threshold that needs to be overcome… or it could be something else entirely."

"Maybe if ya get him away from his two stooges," Ukyo murmured. "That petite Yoko bitch sure seemed glued to his side; maybe she's his weak spot."

"Well, whatever his damn weak spot is, we're not gonna figure it out any faster if we keep standing around," said Ranma grimly as he brushed his bangs back and straightened his shirtsleeves out. "No point mulling over plans that may or may not work; we gotta do something right now." He blew a sharp breath out through his nose and stepped heavily into the house, making a beeline for the front hall closet.

"What Ranma doing now?" Shampoo asked. The sound of the closet slamming open echoed through the house, and a moment later Ranma had returned, carrying a wakizashi in each hand.

"Look, I ain't gonna deny that I'm not too thrilled on going up against some jagoff that just knocked the wind outta three of us at once," Ranma scowled. "But that bastard made it personal- he knows it, I know it, and there ain't a whole lot of options left right now. Astaroth wants a fight, so we might as well give it to him." He turned to Akane and lightly tossed the blue Saito sword to her.

"Ranma, are you sure you know what you're saying?" Akane asked as she caught the sword one-handed. "Don't get me wrong, I want that guy's head as much as you do, but if we don't even know how we're going to beat him…"

"We're just gonna have to do like we've always done, 'kane. Play it by ear." He paused, then smirked. "Improvisation is one of the hallmarks of Anything Goes, right?"

Akane nodded slowly… then smiled and nodded more resolutely as she remembered all the identical circumstances they had been in over the previous year. Challenge upon challenge, each one just a little harsher that the last… and the two of them were still in one piece. She remembered that often there had been some form of planning involved at one point or another- whether it was Ranma's mulling over the mechanics of the Shishi Hokodan, or the training to master the Hiryu Shoten Ha- but some of his greatest victories, she realized, had been due to improvisation and throwing plans out the window. _You're right, Ranma. This is the Anything Goes school, and we don't really have any time to plan…_ She gripped the wakizashi tightly in her left hand. "You sure we can take him?"

Ranma gave her a warm smile in return. "All I know is I ain't gonna let him get away with this crap. That's all I need right now." He turned, shoving the Sagara sword into his belt. "Shingen. What do you say we go beat the tar out of a Named Spirit?"

Shingen chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "I wasn't expecting you'd be going up against something of this caliber so soon, you two," he said, his tone growing serious. "It won't be easy, you know that. He'll know we're coming, that fog outside the house is probably full of his minions."

"In other words, it's pointless to be sneaky about it," Ranma replied. "Like it really matters. Let's just do it." Akane didn't say anything, but stepped next to Ranma and nodded, a slight tremble in her lip the only indication of any nervousness.

"Hey, hold on a second!" Ryoga straightened his bandanna and stepped onto the porch and into the house. "You don't think I'm just gonna sit back and watch you guys charge into Kami knows what, do you? Sorry, Ranma, but this is one fight I'm not planning on sitting out!"

Shingen groaned. "I thought I told you several times already, Hibiki, this isn't your…"

"Like HELL it isn't!" Ryoga shot back. "Okay, so maybe I don't have this 'blood gift' and maybe I don't have the kind of tricks up my sleeve that you do, Shingen, but I do know how to fight! And I'm sure as hell NOT gonna let my friends dive into a mess like this without a little backup!"

"That goes for me, too," said Mousse quietly from his corner of the room. "I've seen my fair share of supernatural fights, and this is one I'd rather not back away from. Especially when it concerns three people who are part of the Joketsuzoku by adoption." He lifted his right arm, then thrust it down and to the side; with a metallic chink, an ornate double scabbard slid out of the sleeve, containing a matched pair of T'ai Chi swords sheathed side by side. "Yamashira, you and Saotome are, by law, my tribal brothers. And I never abandon a brother, regardless of the circumstance."

"Mousse speak truth," Shampoo piped up, springing to her feet. "Shampoo go as well; would be wrong to let Sister Akane go to battle and stay behind." She turned and looked at Cologne nervously. "Is okay, Great-Grandmother?"

The old Amazon nodded. "I will not deny that I still feel quite uneasy, child," she murmured. "I fear there may be a great fight ahead for all… but you are right, an Amazon never abandons a fellow warrior." _I only pray that I shall see the lot of you return home safely, young ones…_

"Well, if you guys are all gonna go with them, I'm going too!" said Ukyo, her fist set and her eyes steely. "Not like Ran-chan and Akane aren't my friends as well, right? And you all know I can be pretty handy in a fight myself!"

"Dammit, this isn't some kind of social outing!" Shingen snapped. "Do you have any idea what's going to happen out there? Those streets are going to turn into a battle zone the moment we set foot outside the barrier!" His eyes darted severely over everyone in the room, eventually coming to rest on Ryoga- but straying in Ukyo's direction almost imperceptibly. "This situation is a Hunter issue! I'm not about to let you get caught in the crossfire, I've already risked too many civilian lives as it is!"

"Oh, so just because we don't belong to some Hunter clan, that means we don't get to do our part?" Ryoga snarled. "Look, fella, I've fought Ranma dozens of times, I know what he can do and I saw what he did at Phoenix Mountain! I don't doubt he can probably do the same again, but I'll be damned if I don't do something to help make _sure_ he does it again! And I think I'd kinda like a piece of this Astaroth creep myself!"

"That goes for me too, Yamashira." "You got that right, sugar." "Shampoo agree. All fight together."

Shingen paused, his stony expression faltering as he began to notice the outpouring of ki from each warrior standing in front of him- not to mention the near-identical looks of determination on their faces. _Good Lord… they're really serious. Their mindsets are so solid I don't think I'm going to be able to talk them out of this! I know they're all good fighters… phenomenal, actually, judging from the ebb and flow of their auras, but… dammit, it's against the Code to bring a civilian into battle with demonic forces…_ Just then he felt another mind Linking with his.

_Shin, man… I know ya don't wanna risk them getting hurt, but for what it's worth… they're a good bunch. They may've put me through hell, but they're damn good fighters. I say let 'em come._

A moment later, Akane's voice joined Ranma's in the Link. _It'd be a risk, I know, but it feels like they really do want to help. Yeah, they've been trouble in the past, but I don't know anyone else besides Ranma I'd rather have watch my back._

Shingen paused a moment longer, then closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright… if you're so keen on helping out, I guess I can't really refuse you," he said in a tired tone. "But we'll have to make some additional preparations first; after all, better safe than sorry." He straightened his lapels and turned towards the hallway, heading for his rented room. "All four of you, come with me. We haven't much time."

--------------------

The mist was beginning to grow steadily darker as the afternoon gave way to early evening. It had thinned out only marginally, letting more light from the streetlights shine through, and panic was still growing. Only now, imagined fears were starting to give way to real fears. Ghostly figures were beginning to emerge from the mist at an alarming rate, most of them the mad, cackling imps who were fully enjoying the task of tormenting any human in their midst. Bicycle and motorcycle tires were suddenly perforated by their six-fingered hands; grocery bags sundered, their contents splayed on the ground; frightened schoolgirls suddenly found their jumpers and skirts being flipped open by unseen hands.

It wasn't until the larger shadows erupted from the fog that things began to turn nasty. Stray cats and dogs suddenly found themselves the unwitting victims of skeleton-headed, snakelike Reavers; their plaintive whines of agony served only to stir the fright in nearby boys and girls. Local businessmen stood in terror as their parked cars were flipped over like playing cards, the handiwork of what appeared to be an eight-foot man of stone. Shop windows were abruptly smashed in by Lesser Oni; several street thugs soon found themselves screaming like babies, pursued by a woman who had at first appeared comely, but had soon bared claws, fangs and extended her neck almost seven feet in length. Deeper in the depths of the fog, the deep rumbling laughter of True Oni and the snickering of a trio of white kitsune could be heard.

There was practically nobody left in the commercial district, with the exception of the Neko Hanten. Only one person remained within, unsure of what to do when the proprietor and the primary wait-staff had left, tearing out into the fog with reckless abandon. The one who remained wanted to go as well once learning of the situation, but the old woman had left clear instructions. _'Keep watch over the restaurant until we return'._

_They said to watch the restaurant, but… it sounds like it's getting worse every minute out there!_ The figure paced back and forth. _Oh, I should have known this place was a bad idea… I shouldn't have left, I should've stayed where I was! Damn it all, what was I thinking?_

A cursory glance out the window revealed little to the eye, but it wasn't hard to hear the cries of terror and, in some cases, agony. A car siren went off three blocks distant, causing the figure to leap back from the window nimbly. _This is ridiculous. There's no point in me just sitting around here when I could be of more use out there! Oh, why did I have to lose my head and leave like I did? I am such an idiot…_

The figure roughly brushed two tears away, then spun on one heel and bounded towards the tiny spare room that had served as temporary living quarters for the past few days. In less than a minute, the frilly Neko Hanten apron and Chinese pantsuit had been shucked, replaced with a plain black ninja blade and red kunoichi garb.

_I knew I should have talked to you instead of running off, Ukyo-sama. I thought I needed time to think… oh Kami, please be okay… and please forgive me for working for the 'enemy' the past few days!_

Two hands snapped together and a moment later, Konatsu had disappeared from the restaurant in a cloud of pink smoke.

--------------------

"I hope you know what you're doing," Ryoga groused, fingering a familiar-looking hematite pendant around his neck before slipping it under his shirt collar. "You sure these things are gonna keep us in one piece?"

"They kept your curse spirits at bay- at least to a point," Shingen replied, his right hand deftly scribing a pentagram sigil on the end of Ryoga's umbrella with white chalk. "That, coupled with the paper wards I've given each of you, ought to provide at least some basic defense."

"It seems a little too simple, if you ask me." Mousse ran a thumb over his own pendant, his forefinger brushing against the two twisted pieces of paper on either side of said pendant. "Wouldn't something a little more powerful be in order?"

"Yes, but we haven't got any time to prepare high-end wardings. We've wasted enough already; Kami only knows what's going on in the fog right now."

Shampoo wrinkled her nose. "Why you scribble chalk all over Shampoo's weapon?" she whined, gesturing with her bonbori. "Make too, too childish mess all over tribal designs…"

"It might not be much to look at, but you'll thank me later _if_ you wind up having to fight something stronger than imps," Shingen replied; he was already scribing a similar pentagram on Ukyo's spatula with a charcoal pencil. "Now remember, these are just temporary measures; I can't guarantee their effectiveness for protracted periods. If you do get into any trouble out there and find your weapons aren't doing any good, _get out of there._" He paused, and Ukyo blinked as his eyes trailed in her direction. "Last thing I want is to see any of you getting hurt."

Ukyo bit back the flush that suddenly tried to creep onto her cheeks, and nodded. "I hear what you're saying, sugar. But you'd better be ready to do the same yourself; just cause you're a Hunter doesn't mean ya gotta kill yourself tryin' to fight this guy."

Shingen smirked and nodded. "I'm just trying to do my job, Ukyo. But… I'll keep that in mind." He handed the spatula back to her and turned around. "Now, what's left… uh, Mousse, I'm not sure how many weapons you've got hidden on you right now, but I'm not going to be able to ward every last one of them."

"That's okay," the tall Amazon replied. "Just these will do for now." He lifted the matched T'ai Chi swords, and Shampoo's eyes suddenly widened as she caught sight of the intricate gold and silver inlay on the polished cherrywood double scabbard. She hadn't paid attention in the sitting room, but seeing it up close made her stop and stare.

"Mousse, where you get that?" she gasped. "Those are… _beautiful._"

"The Sun and Moon Blades," he replied proudly. "They're a family heirloom of mine, passed down to the first-born." He withdrew the swords several inches from the scabbard, revealing wave patterns etched on the spring steel blades. "My Master of the Hidden Weapons style told me only to bring these out in a time of dire need. Said they were too fine to use in everyday swordplay."

"Well, I'd say this certainly qualifies. Just hold them steady for a moment," said Shingen as he approached with the charcoal pencil.

--------------------

"Are they almost ready?" said Ranma impatiently as he and Nabiki helped Genma into a seated position.

"Almost," said Shingen, running a polishing cloth over the double edge of his naginata blade. "I think Shampoo may still be ogling those fancy swords Mousse brought out, and Ryoga said he needed to use the restroom. Threatened to break Karasuhebi in half if we left without him." He gave the blade one last sweep before putting the cloth away. "Good thing Ukyo said she'd show him the way, or we'd never get out of here. This is ridiculous."

"I know what ya mean." Ranma stood up, his hand resting on the pommel of the sword in his belt. "I'm not even sure why Akane's taking so long in her room, she can put that gi on in two minutes flat. And while we're at it, what're we gonna do about that creep?" He gestured roughly in the direction of a still-sleeping Taro.

"I don't think he'll be any real trouble," Cologne murmured as she took a puff on her pipe. "If he does start making a ruckus when he wakes up, I think I can keep him in line."

"Yeah, but what if his curse starts makin' him go bonkers? I'm pretty sure we ain't got the time to Purge him, so…"

"It wouldn't work, Ranma," the taller man interrupted, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I had a chance to examine Taro while I was closing his wound. It's too late; his ki and that of the curse has already merged. If I tried to Purge him now, I'd probably kill him."

Ranma froze. "Merged? You mean… are you telling me he's already gone an' flipped out, or…"

"Actually it seems to be quite the opposite." Shingen paused, then snickered. "It would appear that man's willpower is a lot more potent than meets the eye. He must've lived with the curse so long, he made it submit to his will instead him submitting to its will." At Ranma's blank stare of cluelessness, he continued. "I scoured his aura as best I could. If there was any demonic influence- and it looks like there were at least two, if not more- then that influence has been quashed. The kid's actually taken the demonic infection and added it to his own aura."

Ranma's jaw threatened to hit the ground. "You mean that freak actually…"

"He's not demonic, but he's also not entirely human, either. He practically turned himself into a hanyou… pseudo-demonic power, human consciousness. And that means I can't Purge him OR hunt him; the Code demands discretion when dealing with half-humans."

"Half human? Is that really possible?" asked Akari, who was putting a fresh washcloth on Soun's head.

"Where I come from, Akari-chan, just about anything's possible," Shingen replied. Ranma stared at Taro a moment longer, then shook his head and heaved a resigned sigh that seemed to say, _fine, I'll try and figure it out later_.

"Ranma…"

"Huh?" Ranma started at the raspy voice calling his name and turned around. "What? What's the deal now, Pop? Yer leg still bothering you?" He stepped across the room and squatted next to Genma, elbows on his knees. "That was pretty damn stupid of you, jumping in front of those guys like that; what the hell were you thinking?"

"Don't lecture me right now, boy," the older man grumbled. "I just felt like it, that's all…"

"You saw what it did to the old goat an' the rest of us, and then _just felt like_ standing up to him?"

Genma shook his head. "Just call it… I don't know… call it making up for all the times I ran away from things, okay? Alright, so I didn't have a chance against something like that… that doesn't mean I was just supposed to run away and do nothing." He coughed lightly a few times. "After all… it's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak… you'd have done the same thing in my shoes."

Ranma blinked. "Uh… yeah, I would have… but… even so, I figured you'd just take off or…"

"I already told you, I've done that too many times. So what if I couldn't defend against that girl… at least I tried." His shoulders slumped and he looked at the bandages on his belly. "I… I just wanted to do something right for once in my miserable life…"

Ranma looked at him for a long, hard moment. "Even so… that was pretty stupid of you, old man. You realize you could've gotten killed?"

Genma nodded. "I know that… and I hope you'll remember to think of that if it gets too tough for you out there." He looked up, then paused. "Was… was what that man said really true? About you… and Akane? And…" His eyes fell briefly on the sword in Ranma's belt. "H-Hunter blood?"

Ranma let out a long sigh. "We were planning on telling you and Mr. Tendo soon… we just hadn't figured out how to break it to you gently." He brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah, it's true. Me an' Akane both. Call it a gift from our mothers' side of the families. Even Mom didn't know about it."

Genma nodded faintly. "And… those swords…"

"Hunter weapons, kept in our clan's libraries when their ancestors abandoned the path," Shingen interjected.

"So… that means you two…"

Ranma nodded almost guiltily. "We knew we were gettin' into some deep weeds when we found out about this, Pop. We talked it over a lot before we decided to accept this, and we accepted it _together_. We didn't get pushed into this, and sure, it means we're gonna wind up dealing with weirdness on a regular basis…" He pushed back up to his feet, then cracked a crooked smile. "But I guess we just got used to the weirdness."

Genma looked perplexed for a moment, then thoughtful, eventually bringing his eyes back down to stare at the floor. "Well, then…" was all he muttered before lapsing into silence.

"Yeah. Well, now ya know. I'd tell ya more about it, but there ain't time." Ranma shifted uncomfortably, then stood back up and turned towards Shingen. "Shin, there's one more thing I gotta ask you."

"Ask away."

His eyes strayed back to the Sagara wakizashi as his hand brushed the tsuba. "You said Hunter weapons each have their own name, right?" At Shingen's nod, he continued. "And knowing that name's what allows you to 'release' it, right?" Another nod. "Alright, then… if that's the case, I want to know what the name of this sword is. If it's supposed to be mine by blood, then I might as well know how to use it."

The taller man shook his head. "That's something I can't tell you, my friend. That weapon has to tell you itself." He straightened up and shouldered his naginata. "It's different for every Hunter, and usually only happens once their aura has awakened sufficiently. When the time's right, you'll know."

"Know what?" The sound of Akane's voice made Ranma and Shingen pause and turn around. For a tiny instant, Ranma's breath caught in his throat; she was wearing her regular gi pants and socks, but rather than her usual gi top, she sported a sleeveless yellow top with red trim, clearly Chinese in design, with subtle floral patterns sewn into the cloth and a red frog closure at the right shoulder. In fact, it closely resembled some of the fighting tunics Shampoo had sported from time to time, decorative while allowing her arms free range of motion. It also looked a little snug- which was what caused Ranma's breath to catch.

"Uh… we were just… talkin' about how to tell what our swords' names are…" He blinked and shook himself. "Akane, where'd you get that?"

She blushed and scratched her head nervously, shifting the Saito wakizashi which she had slung across her back. "Um… actually I've had it for a while now. I saw it at a martial arts supply store, back before… before the last incident in China… I was planning to surprise you with it, but then we kept slipping back into old habits and fighting, so I forgot about it…" She swallowed and tugged at the dark blue wrist guards she'd slipped on. "That's kinda why it took me so long, I had to dig it out of my closet…"

Nabiki whistled. "Not bad, little sis. Not bad at all. _Definitely_ suits you better than that ratty old gi."

Akane just shrugged, then looked back up at Ranma, who seemed to be fixated on the embroidery of the shirt. His mouth didn't move, but his words rang clear as a bell in her mind's ear. _You… you look incredible, Acchan._ Her smile quickly broadened as her eyes locked with his.

"Well, now that you've gotten yourself organized, we'd better get a move on," Shingen piped up, silently grumbling about fashion sense superseding preparations for the fight ahead. He reached into his jacket and tossed Akane a warding pendant with additional paper wards, then tossed one to Ranma. "Keep those on at all times, and for Kami's sake don't lose them." Just then there was some shuffling in the hallway, followed by Ryoga being hauled roughly into the room by the others.

"Geez, I said I was sorry! I couldn't help it, I had to go!"

"Yeah, but you didn't have to take so much time in there, jackass!" Ukyo growled, grinding her knuckles into his head. "Sorry 'bout making you wait, Shin-kun; Spam-for-brains here decided to do some lavatory loitering."

"Will you STOP IT?" Ryoga snapped, pulling loose from the others and straightening his shirt, moments before he was abruptly glomped by Akari.

"Sweetie, you're going to be careful, right? You'll come back, won't you?" The sight of her worried eyes caught Ryoga to the quick, causing his temper to evaporate in an instant as he returned her hug- hesitantly at first, then confidently.

"Don't worry, Akari, everything's gonna be okay. I'll be back." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "I promise."

"Yeah sugar, we'll get him back if we have to drag him the whole way," Ukyo chortled, which quickly earned her a dirty look from Ryoga.

"Hey Ranma," Nabiki called from across the room; she had knelt next to the still-unconscious Soun in Akari's place and was holding his hand- which in itself raised a few eyebrows. "You better make sure you take care of my kid sister- and bring _everyone_ back in one piece, you hear me?" She shot him her usual icy glare, but at his nod, the glare softened and a hint of a smile formed on her lips. "And… don't you get hurt either, little bro. Just thrash that guy and come home."

Ranma smiled. "I'll be back before the sun's up, Nabiki. No need to worry."

She looked away, hastily reassembling her Ice Queen persona. "Just get going already, Saotome."

"She's right, you know. We've got to move." Shingen hefted his naginata and headed for the foyer, followed closely by the others. He quickly slipped on his hiking boots and laced them up as everyone else grabbed their own shoes. "Remember- once we get outside, follow me. We're going to be heading for the heaviest concentration of negative ki in the area- and for heaven's sake, DON'T split up." A chorus of nods and a few affirmative grunts was his reply.

Ranma paused and looked at Akane, who was deftly lacing her sneakers. _You ready for this, Acchan?_

She looked up. _Not really. But when were we ever ready for anything?_ She stood up and tapped her foot once, making sure the shoe was snug. _Ranma, you mentioned our swords' names… did Shingen say how we're supposed to learn them?_

He shook his head. _He just said the swords would tell us when the time was right. I'm not really sure what that means… I guess we'll just have to find out as we go._

Akane nodded. _Not like we have much choice now._ She looked up and brushed her hair back. "Let's go kick some butt."

"My sentiments exactly," Ranma said with a grin.

--------------------

Genma looked up slowly as the front door slammed shut. Not far from him, he could see Cologne sitting in meditation, methodically etching a protective ward pattern on a nearby tatami mat. To his left, Taro was still out cold, and he could hear Soun mumbling something to his right. It sounded like Akari was in the kitchen looking for something, and Nabiki was nowhere to be seen. He could also faintly see the outline of an enormous sumo pig sitting right outside by the porch, just inside the reawakening barrier.

Soun shifted in his sleep, and Genma could see a faint tear escape his eye. His mumbles began to grow more distinct.

"Uhh… no… no… our children… man… white hair… taken Kasumi… taken our eldest… Akane… going to fight… why… please, not our baby too… please, Akane, don't go…" He rolled on to his side and his mumbles began to quiet down. "I'm sorry, Michiko… first I lost you… now I'm losing our babies… I'm so sorry… such a weak man… forgive me, Michiko…"

Genma closed his eyes as Soun gradually fell into a deeper sleep. "It's alright, old friend," he murmured. "Don't blame yourself over this… none of us could have expected it. And don't think she blames you for it, either." He let out a long breath. "You're not going to lose them. Akane's a strong girl… stronger than I gave her credit for. She'll come back. They'll all come back, I just know it."

He let his head sink back against the wall. _Ranma… I don't know if I fully understand how you inherited this… or what you and Akane plan to do with it. I'm not even sure I want to understand. But I do know one thing._ A single tear lingered in his eye, which he pushed back. _You're the best fighter alive today… and you've always found a way to win, which is more than I ever did._

_Watch out for them, and be careful out there… my son._

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Note 3/17/06: Well, I did suffer a brief interlude of writer's block during the past few weeks, but managed to bumble through in my own way. As I pointed out, all Hell has broken loose in Nerima, and it's only going to get worse as time goes by. Now, some of you may be wondering why it is Konatsu showed up where he did. Answer- he was more than a little confused by some of the things he noticed of late re: Ukyo and needed time to think, so he needed to go somewhere. He needed a place to stay and a roof over his head, and possibly employment. Now having been trained as a tearoom attendant by his (former) family, not to mention his work at Ucchans, it seems only natural to apply at another restaurant- and the Neko Hanten needed extra help. (Whether Konatsu was aware of Mousse's condition is another question.)

Why work at Ukyo's main competitor? The poor guy wasn't thinking right- as indicated above. He may have just seen a help wanted sign and ducked in, going through the motions like a robot. Or perhaps he had noticed the relative peace between Ukyo and the Amazons, and decided to venture towards friendship with them as well. There's a hundred reasons why he did what he did, and I can't fathom them all at the moment. Suffice to say, Konatsu's done enough thinking.

I had dropped several hints of his presence, as some of you may have noticed.

A _shikigami_ is a servitor spirit popular in Japanese folklore, the equivalent of a wizard's familiar. Some are constructed with a folded paper doll as their base, others are independent of the mage and are summoned to be of service. They have made appearances in other anime series, notably InuYasha.

The long-necked woman mentioned is another popular staple of folklore, a _rokurokubi_ or long-necked demon. From what I can tell, they can be either male or female. Also of note are the _kitsune_(fox spirits) and their colors; a white kitsune signals calamity, and a trio of kitsune portends disaster. Black kitsune, on the other hand, supposedly bring good fortune.

Finally, as it has never been revealed what Mrs. Tendo's canon name was, I decided to give her one myself. Many fanfic authors seem to use the name Kimiko, which I felt was a little tired; so as to differentiate my story from others, I chose Michiko. Translated, it can mean 'child of beauty' or 'the righteous way'. I leave it to you to interpret its meaning in the context of this story.

Thank you for reading, and I welcome your reviews, as always. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	38. Into the Abyss Will I Run

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. They will be returned once my little venture into the Ranmaverse is completed. And now…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 38: Into the Abyss Will I Run

--------------------

A razor-sharp gymnastics ribbon tore through the air in spiraling arcs, snapping wildly at the shadows looming in the fog. Several smaller shadows howled in irritation, springing backwards as the ribbon left dark welts and shallow incisions in their mottled gray flesh, but others rolled to the sides or leapt into the air, continuing to advance upon the raven-haired girl wielding said weapon. "What manner of beasts art thou?" Kodachi shouted, her voice trembling; her defiant sneer had begun to give way to a more fearful look, one which grew with every shadow that emerged. The cackles had increased in volume as well… a haunting, psychotic cackle that sent a shiver down her spine, re-igniting memories of the Black Rose which she was trying desperately to push aside. "Get away, vermin! I shall not have my home or my person assaulted by the likes of such as you! Take one more step and you shall realize the true fury of… of…" She swallowed hard, shaking her head before staring at the imps before her with clear eyes. "The true fury of Kodachi Kuno!" she finished, snapping the ribbon taut between her hands. _That's right… this time you face the real me. I will not risk reviving the Black Rose to fight this filth; I may not be perfect, but I will not hide behind a false mask any longer!_

"Mistress, please! Take yourself away from this place; these can hardly be beings of this world!" Sasuke shrieked as he was suddenly waylaid by three imps simultaneously; acting on pure adrenaline, he executed a series of snap kicks and spinning backfists that knocked his attackers roughly a meter back. "You needn't concern yourself with them; I shall h-hold them at b-bay!"

Kodachi's eyes narrowed and her stance widened. "And what honor is there in leaving you to fend for yourself, Sasuke? Should I repay your loyalty with a cold shoulder?" Her hand snapped to her uniform skirt, retrieving a pair of clubs held in place by a garter; a second later the hand snapped outward, flinging both clubs into the depths of the mist. The missiles promptly exploded, sending a good number of imps flying in all directions just as Kodachi's ribbon spiraled into the fray once again. "Let us both send these creatures back to whichever Hell spawned them!"

A second later, her determined glare faltered as eight imps and several lesser oni lunged out of the fog, all fully intent on carrying the young woman away and ripping her clothes to bits at the same time. Kodachi spin-kicked one attacker backwards into another, backflipped into the air as a third made a clumsy grab for her calves and tore the wings off a fourth with two deft flicks of her ribbon. Gritting her teeth, she procured her razor hoop- and suddenly had to twist and roll to one side as a lesser oni appeared in front of her and slashed at her face with its claws. She tumbled to the right, then blanched as her ponytail fell loose around her shoulders, along with several strands of hair; the oni had shredded the purple band holding her hair back.

_These beasts are somewhat faster than I expected… and far more savage!_ Kodachi's train of thought was interrupted as a much larger shadow strode out of the fog- a great hulking brute eight feet tall in a tiger-skin loincloth. "What on Earth… where are all these fiends coming from?" she gasped, springing up and flinging the hoop at a cluster of imps that had nearly grabbed hold of her skirt. Two bolted to the sides, but the third wasn't quite as lucky and was quickly sheared into a cloud of white dust. Behind her, Sasuke was battling it out with two lesser oni and an imp, and the battle was not turning in his favor. Just beyond the newly arrived ogre, several more imps and a centipede-like beast were approaching and leering at the battle.

Kodachi locked eyes with the massive oni and felt her blood turn cold as it gave her a lascivious grin. "Y-you think me to be but a weak and feeble woman, monster? You had best t-think again!" she shouted, attempting to keep the fear out of her voice, but not succeeding. _Merciful Kami, I've never seen or dealt with anything on such a scale before… those misguided fights with the others was one thing, this is different! Fiends from all directions, an ogre advancing upon us… is this the Kunos' Judgment Day? Is this supposed to be my judgment for my… my sins?_

Kodachi's panicked reverie was cut short by the inane cackling of two imps who darted in to tickle and tear at her bodice; in an instant, all fear left her face, replaced by fierce anger. "BACK!" she snapped, leaping straight up and flipping end over end as her ribbon crisscrossed the air in a massive cloverleaf pattern. The imps shrieked in pain as their flesh was flayed by the weapon; one succumbed to injury and exploded into fine mist just as Kodachi landed barely inside the rear doors of the moving van. "I know not why you have intruded upon my person, but I shall not be taken so easily!" _Now is not the time to fear, now is the time to act,_ she screamed inwardly as she twirled her ribbon into the moving van, snaring one of the boxes marked 'Fragile' and flinging it full-force at the ogre and several of his minions.

The consequences of the oni's hand swiping at the box in mid-flight were quickly realized as a number of incendiary chemicals within the box ignited; the explosion produced a massive cloud of black smoke and a shockwave that sent five nearby imps flying in circles. Even the lesser oni attacking Sasuke were stunned, giving the smaller man a chance to grab their heads and bang them together soundly, knocking them out cold.

"Magnificently done, Mistress! Now please, let us away from this place before more strange beasts appear!"

"I think I am well inclined to agree with you, Sasuke!" Kodachi replied tersely, hopping from the van and spinning her ribbon in rapid circles about her, knocking several lingering imps hither and yon. "The bags can wait; a vantage point or place of refuge would be preferred at this…"

A snarl erupted from the pillar of black smoke, and a mere millisecond later, the ogre burst forth with soot staining its chest and face, its hair wild and flesh smoldering in patches. Both master and servant gasped as it lunged forward- and with a massive backhand swipe, the oni had sent Sasuke rocketing over the fog-filled skies of Nerima. He screamed a pained apology to Kodachi which faded quickly in the mists; the ogre snorted derisively and turned to leer at the raven-haired gymnast, whose knees suddenly gave way beneath her.

A fresh chill permeated her body as the ogre began to lick his lips and advance on her once again, taking his time to brush the soot from his face. She scooted back nervously and snapped her ribbon in the beast's face, scoring several light gashes but hardly causing it to flinch. _I… I can't even hurt this monster! The gray whelps were like mice, but… t-this… I c-can't get him to b-back away one bit… he just won't stop!_ She glanced up and began to shake; old memories of helplessness and fear began to resurface, and for a brief instant she thought she saw the oni's face turn to the face of someone else. The face of her brother.

_Oh dear Kami, it's just like when I was little!_ She scrambled up against the tailgate of the moving van and huddled up against it, squeezing her eyes shut as the ogre raised its hand. _No… not again. Not like with Tatewaki… please, don't do this to me! I don't deserve to die, not before I've had a chance to make amends!_ She pulled her arms over her head, curling into a ball. _Please… SOMEBODY HELP ME!_

"DON'T MOVE!"

Kodachi flinched as an unfamiliar voice rang out, seemingly right over her head. She heard a sudden snort of confusion- the ogre, she guessed- but she refused to open her eyes. There was a rush of wind above her, a fierce kiai was bellowed, and the world exploded in a cacophony of crashes, screams, and the sound of knuckles and heels cracking flesh and bone. It seemed to last an eternity, but mere seconds after it had begun, an incredible thud echoed through the street- the sound of a massive body collapsing to the ground.

There was a sudden scuffling akin to several beings running like frightened mice- and then, all was silent.

Kodachi stirred, lowering her arms hesitantly. _What… what was that?_ she pondered, still trembling- but not quite as much as before. _More importantly, WHO was that?_ Her eyelids fluttered as she took a hesitant breath, then opened. Her body uncurled from its near-fetal crouch and, gingerly, she looked up again.

"You alright, miss?"

She blinked, swallowing once as she glanced in several directions at once. There were no more imps to be seen in the near vicinity, while the centipede-thing was just finishing making its retreat in the fog beyond. The great ogre was flat on his back with massive contusions and lacerations across the face and chest, eyes rolled back in his head. She could only guess the fiend's wounds were the doing of the young man who stood in front of her, casually slinging a duffel bag over one shoulder.

"Um… I, uh… I think I am," she stammered, her eyes tracing the well-defined muscles on the man's arms and chest, eventually coming to rest on what she found to be a rather attractive- albeit severe- face. _Who… who is this person? And where did he come from?_ "I… I fear I am quite at the loss for words, good sir…"

"Yeah, well given the size of that freak that's not really surprising." He brushed his dark hair back, shooting the unconscious oni a dirty look before looking at Kodachi again. "You sure you're okay? You're looking pretty pale, miss…"

"Kuno. Kodachi Kuno… and I daresay, I do feel a bit unnerved still," she said with a nod as she rose to her feet. "I… I feel I am in your debt. That… _beast_ was about to…"

The man waved her off in mid-sentence. "No need for thanks. Actually, I wasn't expecting to see anybody on the roads; the streets have been empty ever since I got to Nerima. Well… empty except for these damn freaks, this one's probably the fourth one I've busted up so far."

Kodachi's eyes widened. "F-fourth one? By y-yourself?"

"More or less." He folded his arms and snorted. "Not exactly what I was expecting to deal with. Wasn't like this last time I was in town; I don't mind a good fight, but fog and monsters I can do without." He paused, then looked up. "When did all this happen, anyway?"

"N-not very long ago, the fog just…" She stopped, then blinked. "Wait a moment. You said you've fought more of these beasts already? In other parts of Nerima?" _If those creatures are in other parts of town, then this may not be divine punishment for my family after all… but then… that means other people could be in…_

"Yes, I just told you I had to deal with several things exactly like that," the man answered, waving at the ogre. "And that's not counting the gray midgets with wings that kept trying to steal my stuff, either." He shook his head and started to mutter to himself. "Great Kami, it's just one thing after another today… not that I don't mind the extra training, but still… never going to track down Saotome at this rate, if the fog keeps up or I run into someone else cornered by some…"

Kodachi's ears perked up. "What did you just say? Saotome?" She brushed the dirt off her uniform sleeves quickly. "You don't mean… you aren't speaking of Ranma Saotome, are you?"

The man blinked. "Um… actually, yes… you know him?"

"Yes, I do… though I'm afraid there have been a number of… misunderstandings; I made a most horrendous impression upon him, I fear. But what of you? Are you a friend of his?"

The man scoffed. "I wouldn't go that far. Last I saw him, he was about the most arrogant bastard I ever met in my life… but also one of the best fighters I ever faced. Only reason I came back is to settle something with him and his family." He glared at the mist; distant howls began to echo from its depths. "If I ever _get_ to the damn house, that is… wonder if he's having to deal with the same damn freakshow as me…"

_Indeed, more than likely he would be out in the midst of these fiends this moment,_ Kodachi mused. _And if he ventures forth, young Miss Tendo would be likely to follow, especially if she is keen to fight with him! But all these beasts… those two fared well against my brother's minions, but against the minions of Hell itself?_ Kodachi looked up at the man again, who was glaring at her fallen assailant, and something inside her clicked, pushing her personal fears to one side. She shook her head and snatched up her ribbon just as a battered and alabaster-white Sasuke came scrambling up the street, eyes scrunched shut and with three imps attempting to pick him up and tie him in a pretzel.

"M-MISTRESS! I have f-failed you! P-please be yet alive, and p-please forgive my inc-competence if indeed you are alive! I am nothing! I am an insect, I am…"

"Sasuke, CALM DOWN!" Kodachi bellowed. An instant later her ribbon caught one imp around the neck and tore it away from Sasuke; she slammed the demon into a nearby wall before leaping, gazelle-like, into the face of a second imp and bringing it to the ground. A flick of the wrist and a gymnast's club was produced, which soon found its way to the third imp and broke its nose. The three screeched, staggered up and hopped away.

"Oh, thank goodness," the ninja wheezed. "When that giant defeated my defenses, I thought for sure… but no matter, you're safe, and we must get away from this…"

"No, Sasuke. We're not going to run away." Sasuke's jaw dropped, but she continued on. "That young man saved my life, and I would be remiss if I did not recompense his services… not to mention, there are others out there who could use a hand."

"M-MISTRESS? You would _stay_ here after… after that _thing_ tried to…"

She nodded. "I won't deny, the thought of facing another of those unnerves me… but the smaller vermin needs must be dealt with, and that much I can do." She took a deep breath and strode up to the man, who was already slinging his duffel over one shoulder. "Good sir, I would accompany you. I, too, would have dealings with those at the Tendo estate… and I must repay you for your gallantry just now."

The man blinked. "I didn't ask for any kind of reward; I was in the neighborhood, that's all. No heroic intention about it, that thing was in my way."

"Be that as it may, I am in your debt," Kodachi pressed. "I will admit a moment of… weakness… but I believe I can hold my own now, and perhaps I might keep the smaller vermin away from both of us…"

"You don't have to do that, I can take care of myself."

"That I am aware of, but in such conditions there may be strength in numbers, do you not agree?"

The man paused, gave her a long look, then sighed. "You're that dead-set on heading into that mess, huh? Even if I don't need someone helping me?"

Kodachi shook her head. "I would dishonor my clan if I let the one who aided me- even if it was not intended- venture forth without proper restitution. And as I said, there may be those in need- and the longer we tarry here, the more in need they may become."

The man groaned. "Fine, then. You want to tag along, go right ahead- and you're right, we are wasting time." _Just what I needed, of all things… a tagalong right when I was planning to deal with the issue between me and Saotome._ He groaned, then looked up again. _Though… she did seem to get some of her nerve back against those gray things, and it's not like she's an unpleasant person… flowery speech, but at least she sounds sincere._ He shrugged, adjusting the beige bandanna holding his hair out of his eyes. "Well, if we're going to go, might as well be now, Miss Kuno."

"Please, call me Kodachi," the gymnast replied. "And I do thank you again for your aid, Master… um, I don't believe I caught your name?"

"Kumon," he replied. "Ryu Kumon."

--------------------

To say that there weren't demons lying in wait on the streets outside the Tendo estate was much like saying the Atlantic Ocean is not wet. The moment the front gates opened, Shingen's assessment of the situation was proved correct; inane screeches echoed up and down the street as imps played Kick the Can with whatever assorted objects they could find- basketballs, garbage bags, even an unattended bicycle. Ghostly figures wandered in and out of the mist, never quite there and never really gone. And the instant the estate gates slammed shut, a chilling silence hit the street for several long seconds. Then the laughter started anew, closer and closer.

_Damn it. This is more than I've encountered in a single place in a very long time,_ Shingen ranted internally. _The air's saturated with negative ki, you can almost taste it!_ A flicker in the distance drew his attention; glancing up, he saw a flaring of indigo light that seemed to pulse and quiver like a beating heart, growing steadily stronger. Several others around him noticed it as well.

"Holy geez… I dunno about you guys, but I don't like the look of that light," Ukyo murmured.

"Look nothing, Shampoo no like feeling in air," the young Amazon said in a small voice. "This feel very wrong…"

"The bastard said he was gonna be at an Unfinished Gate, right?" Ranma glared at the bonfire of vacillating indigo and clenched his fists. "I may be no expert, but that looks like a big freakin' signal flare to me!"

"It looks like it's coming from Furinkan, too," added Akane, wiping a drop of sweat off her temple. "And he's got Kasumi and Auntie there…"

"You can't think about that right now," said Shingen as he shifted his naginata to his right hand. "Remember, he's trying to make you scared or angry in hopes of tripping both of you up…" The laughter within the fog suddenly jumped in volume and imps began boiling out of the mist, making a beeline for the seven people in the middle of the road. "And here comes Hell's cavalry. LET'S MOVE!" Shingen's left hand snapped forward, peppering the nearest fiends with a fusillade of runic throwing knives… he swung the naginata back behind him, lunged forward… and as the saying goes, all hell broke loose.

Demons began bursting into white powder left and right as Shingen exploded in a flurry of motion, swinging his naginata in rapid circles while simultaneously somersaulting into the midst of the imp swarm. Several lesser oni on the fringes scrambled to the sides, but were promptly waylaid by a series of jabs and spinning backfists from Ranma, a snap kick and elbow smash from Akane, and no less than six of Ryoga's bandanna shuriken. The fiends goggled and some began to break rank, but were quickly replaced by numerous others- white snakes with red glowing eyes, twisted and mutated ravens, and other small, hideous spirits of the oni and imp variety. They lurched forward as one, just as their targets did the very same.

"There so many, so soon!" Shampoo cried as she hook-kicked an imp that was approaching her rear, then batted a toxic raven spirit out of the sky with her bonbori. "How town get so full of bad things so soon?"

"I'll bet you anything this 'Astaroth' jerk brought them down to have fun with us!" Ryoga spat, grabbing two gibbering goblinoids by the throats and throwing them against a wall. "Big deal, not like we haven't done this kind of mass combat before!"

"I can't argue with that, Hibiki!" Mousse flicked his hands into his sleeves and then out again, producing his close-combat steel claws. His eyes darted once to the double scabbard on his hip, then back up again. _Best not to use the Sun and Moon Blades lest I truly need them,_ he mused before springing upward, flipping twice in the air and swinging his arms out; four airborne demons were quickly annihilated and two more were dispatched in similar fashion before he touched the ground.

Shampoo gasped and very nearly stopped in her tracks as he descended. "Aiya… when Mousse get so quick… and _accurate_…" A second later, her eyes widened again as a number of albino vipers seemed to appear from thin air at her feet, then quickly ensnared her ankles and began to ascend to her bosom and neck. She cried out in shock and lifted a bonbori out of reflex, when something stopped her.

"Shampoo! DON'T MOVE!" At Mousse's clipped tone, she did exactly that. The vipers paused momentarily at the sound of his voice- and an instant later, the combat claws on one of his hands vanished as ribbon-adorned daggers flew out of his sleeve. Shampoo's eyes widened even further, but she remained stock-still as each dagger pierced home in the head or body of each snake. The beasts screeched, and soon fell apart into dust.

The violet-haired Amazon blinked, then let out a relieved sigh. "That… that too, too close call with snake-things… could not even move legs to get away…" She looked up, and her relief quickly became indignation. "I glad you help, Mousse, but how you know you not hit Shampoo by mistake? What you do then? No scare like that again!"

Mousse nodded, hiding a wry smile. "I didn't mean to scare you, my dear… and I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't known I wouldn't miss." He tapped a point next to his eye. "It helps not to have to rely on those damned lenses."

"Hey, less talking, more thrashing!" Ukyo hollered as she finished hammering an imp into something resembling pancake batter. She whipped around in a circle, caught sight of a toxic black raven heading for her neck, and swatted it over a nearby fence. "I gotta admit, though, this is a bit more fun than I was expecting, you guys!"

"You kidding, Ucchan? This is my kinda brawl right here!" Ranma hollered, roundhouse-kicking another three imps directly into Shingen, who dispatched them with three deft weapon jabs. "Just like when I first got to town, right Akane?"

Akane nodded as she barreled into a thick cluster of assorted minor demons and began flipping them hither and yon like playing cards. "Yeah, except I think the Hentai Horde was uglier than these freaks!" she laughed. "Still, you and I both know this isn't going to last, right?"

"Yeah, the jagoff's just trying to tire us out," Ranma replied as he and Shingen broke through the thickest concentration of fiends, one with his knuckles, the other with the butt of his bladed staff. "We gotta save our best for last; no fancy stuff yet!"

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Shingen chuckled. "Come on, we've gotta keep moving!" The others nodded in agreement and bolted through the scattered lesser demons, pausing only to thrash a few stubborn stragglers before turning a corner and starting down the main road to Furinkan High; the glow emanating from the distant building seemed to be intensifying bit by bit.

"So what do we do when we get there? Just hit him hard and try to figure out this Contingency thing of his?" Ryoga piped up, pausing long enough to splatter a translucent, fanged blob of a creature with his umbrella, followed by a roundhouse kick and elbow smash to a black goblin with a face resembling a Noh mask.

"If I were you, Hibiki, I'd try to stay away from Astaroth if at all possible," Shingen snapped, intercepting a wild-eyed flying lizard-thing with the back of his left hand; blue ki flared in a disk around his glove, sending the lizard into a garbage can. "These beasts may not pose too great a threat, but the worst is still to come, I assure you."

"Yeah, you said that already, but I've had my fair share of tough fights, too!" Ryoga shot back. "Hell, I was right there at Phoenix Mountain the day that…"

"You said that once before, Hibiki, I know! I'm just trying to point out the fact that…"

"Would you guys knock it off?" Ranma interjected as he grabbed a lesser oni in midair and punted it over the canal fence like a soccer ball. "Ya don't have to keep harping on this bastard, or who does what and when, we'll just deal with it when we get there, alright?" He sighed, then looked to his right, noting the grim expression on Akane's face. His own expression softened subtly, and he shifted closer to her as he sent a thought her way. _Acchan, you doin' okay?_

She looked up at him, shrugged, and gave him a wan smile as she ducked to the left, letting a deformed albino bat spirit miss her completely before she snatched the thing in both hands and threw it to the ground. _I guess so,_ she replied as she stepped on the bat. _Still shaky about the whole thing… but then again, nothing new there. I dealt with the shakes at Jusendo, I guess I can deal with this for now._ She paused, then smirked a bit. _Though I have to admit, this may be the first time I've been in this position, doing the rescuing instead of being the 'damsel in distress'._

Ranma couldn't help but smirk for an instant. _Well, with any luck and the way we've been trainin', let's hope ya won't have ta worry 'bout being carried off by nobody any longer, 'kane._ Akane nodded, then giggled slightly, planning to say something Astrally about not minding being carried off by a certain baka. But for a sudden interruption, she would have said it.

As it happened, she didn't.

Without warning, the canal exploded in a frenzy directly next to them, throwing great sheets of water into everyone's faces, drenching their clothes instantly. Several blinked at the conspicuous absence of any transformation, but their attention was quickly drawn to the three reptilian humanoids that had burst from the canal. Their limbs and faces were dark green and scaly, with an armored ridge cresting their noses and skulls, and a shell-like carapace that covered their backs. With a quick swipe, their clawed hands tore the chain link fence to tatters, lunging forward with surprising speed and agility. Two more slogged out of the water behind the first three, malice shining in their yellow eyes.

"What the HELL?" Ryoga gasped as he swung madly at the head of one of the beasts. "These things just keep comin' out of the woodwork, don't… OOF!" He got no further as his fist glanced off the curved ridge on its forehead, followed by a scaled hand pummeling his solar plexus and driving him into a wall. The beast responsible then turned and elbowed a stunned Mousse to one side before making a beeline for Ukyo.

"Just lovely; of all the times to have to deal with a kappa ambush!" Shingen crouched, then sprang forward, thrusting his polearm at the throat of the nearest kappa, who promptly swatted it to one side and raced up to punch him in the chest, ignoring Ukyo for the time being. He parried the green fist with the butt of his staff at the last moment, and the two quickly lapsed into a dodge-block-attack pattern that left no opening for either fighter. "Try to hit them in the neck, it's the only unarmored point on their bodies!"

"Easy to say, not so easy to do!" Shampoo grumbled as she ducked and rolled away from an overhead swing that left a fist-shaped mark in the pavement. She crouched low, jumped and twisted in midair, then brought her bonbori cracking down on the offending creature's skull. The beast winced and a light crack appeared on its carapace, but it did not slow down, preferring to twist and backhand Shampoo across her left side. She gasped and fell to the ground, rolling up a bit awkwardly as the kappa attacked once again. This time, she blocked each hand with an outward sweep of her weapons, then brought them back together again, cracking the kappa's head as if between two cymbals. "Stay down and die, ugly man!" The beast shook its head, then lunged at the purple-haired girl, flailing its claws madly and scoring three light gashes across her upper thigh.

"I'm not so sure it's such a good idea to taunt these things," Akane yelled as she tucked and rolled beneath the legs of her own attacker, who left his own fist dents in the road. "Just clobber 'em and let's keep moving!" Her leg whipped out, catching the kappa across the back of both knees simultaneously. The fiend grunted and buckled slightly, but recovered and spun to face Akane, trading rapid-fire punches and slowly backing her away from the others.

"Akane, don't let that thing herd you!" Ranma yelled, peppering a fourth across the face with a series of lightning-fast punches that rocked the kappa's head from one side to another. Its arms flailed madly and came down hard on his left shoulder, eliciting a noticeable flinch, but doing little to stop the assault. Drawing his right arm back, he pumped a quick burst of ki directly into his knuckles, then let fly. "JINRAI TEKKEN!" The kappa's chin audibly cracked in several places as his head snapped back, exposing its neck just as Ranma moved in for the kill. "KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"

The suddenness and power of the Chestnut Fist caught the demon full force; the kappa barely had a chance to emit a strangled yelp before crashing to the ground, white ichors spewing from its mouth. Its limbs went slack and quickly dissolved into powder, leaving only the great shell behind. Ranma smirked triumphantly, but the smirk didn't last as he was suddenly waylaid by the fifth kappa, who seemed fully determined to tear the pig-tailed warrior to ribbons before he could act.

"Don't let up yet!" Shingen hollered, sparks flying as his naginata scored minute scratches along the scales just beneath his opponent's neck. The kappa snarled and snapped its jaws, locking up with Shingen and trying to wrench the weapon out of his hands, while at the same time upsetting his balance. _Damn… I really, REALLY don't like fighting kappa. All that damn armor!_

"Hey, UGLY!" Ryoga pulled himself out of the hole in the wall and charged Shampoo's assailant with a newly recovered Mousse hot on his heels. "You guys like to hit hard, huh? Well, you ain't the only one!" His umbrella swung in a low arc, smashing the kappa across the back of one knee; there was a sickening crunch and the fiend gasped in sudden pain. The next instant, Mousse had produced a compact spiked mace on a chain and rebounded it off the other knee, eliciting another groan but nowhere near as loud a crunch. The mace retracted like a yo-yo as the tall Amazon circled to the front of the beast.

"You're going to pay for daring to harm Shampoo, you filth," he said in a glacial tone. His hand darted to the double scabbard at his waist, and with a flourish, he had drawn the twin Tai Chi swords and leveled the point of one at the kappa's eyes. "Hibiki, would you mind holding the condemned steady?" Ryoga nodded knowingly, and the kappa suddenly found itself locked into a modified Full Nelson with Ryoga's hands locked over one of the ridges on its skull. Ryoga pulled back, compressing the beast so hard that its eyes bugged out… and a moment later, Mousse had deftly and artistically slashed the thing's neck open with both swords.

Akane blinked for an instant as her own assailant continued to press forward, and started to grin. "I knew it! These things aren't really so tough, you guys!" She ducked in, letting her attacker's hand sail over her head before delivering a quick elbow-punch combo to its groin. _Ranma, you doing okay?_

_Heh. This is nothing, Acchan,_ came his reply as he leaped onto his current opponent's arm and snap-kicked it in the face. _How 'bout you? You aren't lettin' that thing get the upper hand, are ya?_

Akane grinned, parrying two more punches in succession. _He's tougher than I expected, but I don't think he'll be trouble for much longer…_ Just then her foot struck a patch of loose gravel from where the fence had been torn out. She gasped and quickly moved to right herself- which was when the kappa made its move and barreled into her with both fists. Akane flinched and threw her arms up in an X-block, trying to push the attack up and away, but in doing so took sufficient force from the punch that she was knocked further back, lost her balance- and tumbled backwards into the canal.

"AKANE!" Ranma practically felt the panic wash over him as he saw her topple off the pavement, could almost _feel_ the terror in his own mind, the sudden weight of limbs, the water pulling at her. Crimson light erupted from his body as he smashed his elbow into his opponent's gut, charging toward the gap in the fence like a raging bull. The kappa Akane had been fighting with perked its head up, turned around slightly- and quickly found its head being used as a stepping stone as Ranma springboarded off the beast and into the canal. He could see her thrashing about in a panic, her head just beginning to dip beneath the surface of the water as he descended. _Hang on, 'kane, I'm gonna get you out of there…_

Shingen gritted his teeth and ripped himself out of his assailant's grasp. "Okay, you goddamned freaks, I'm _through_ playing games with you!" he snarled, spinning his weapon in a figure-eight pattern. His eyes darted from the one he had been fighting, to the one recovering from Ranma's elbow, to the third by the fence. White-gold ki began to pulse around his naginata, just as his eyes caught something else in motion. Ukyo had thrust a hand into her vendor's vest and was crouching low, ready to move. His eyes widened and he started to shout a warning- just as she made her move.

"Ever had turtle tempura before, you creeps?" she chuckled. "BATTER BLIND!"

_Batter blind? What the hell…_ was all Shingen could process as the chestnut-haired chef whipped three innocuous-looking packets at the eyes of all three kappa present. The packets burst open on contact with the bony- and still quite damp- skulls of the demons, coating their faces with a thick layer of powder. Each of the turtle-men snarled and clawed at their faces, trying to clear the powder away, which was quickly taking on the texture of glue.

Shingen stared- and just as quickly grinned. "Now _that's_ a handy little trick, Ucchan," he chuckled.

"Just a little flour and water, that's all," she replied with a thumbs-up. "Time to bake and serve!" One hand flew to her combat spatula, and the next instant, she had slammed the blade up against the throat of one still-blinded beast. Biting her lower lip, she tightened her grip and shoved as hard as possible, breaking the skin of its neck and causing it to collapse in upon itself. The charcoal pentagram scribed on her spatula glowed briefly as the kappa's energy dispersed, and she let out a long breath.

"Three down, two to go." Shingen whipped his head around, glaring at the remaining kappa who were still fighting to get the flour paste out of their eyes. He tightened his grip on the naginata, pulling back as gold ki began to pulse around the blade. Ryoga and Mousse both snapped their weapons up and were preparing to double-team the nearest of the two, when something else happened.

There was a sudden rush of wind and a gout of water as Ranma burst from the canal with a spluttering Akane draped over his shoulders, piggyback style. His left arm was hooked under her knee, bracing her as his right hand flew to the wakizashi in his belt. The kappa nearest the fence, the one that had knocked her in, managed to scrape the last of the paste out of its eyes and turned to look up- and froze in place. Ki was pulsing in Ranma's eyes, making them flash with rage. "You picked the wrong person to push into the drink, scale-face!" His hand blurred, whipping the sword from its saya in the blink of an eye. The kappa shook itself as Ranma landed in front of it, reared back and punched at his head as hard as it could- but he wasn't there any longer.

There was a sudden sickening crack, and several people gasped.

The kappa blinked… then looked down and let out a hideous gurgle as it realized there was a wakizashi sticking into its chest. Ranma had ducked in at the last second and thrust, point-blank, at the demon's sternum; the sword's hilt was pressed right up against its chest with the point breaking through the other side, through the shell. The demon flailed, staggered back, then collapsed, bursting into a cloud of white powder.

"Holy…" Ryoga murmured, wide-eyed. "He… he just… right through that thing's…"

"Aiya… Brother Ranma _strong_ when angered," Shampoo breathed. Mousse merely nodded. Shingen managed to shake off his own surprise long enough to spring at the fifth demon, spearing it through the neck and chest with his Chain Blade strike. The kappa didn't even have time to gasp before its body was ripped apart, disintegrating like the others.

Ranma slammed his sword back into the saya, then heaved a long sigh as he set a dripping wet Akane down. "Teach that creep to push ya in the drink like that," he quipped, then turned to look at her. "You okay, 'kane?"

She nodded once, then coughed lightly. "Just a little waterlogged, that's all. Just give me a second, I'll be fine." She paused, then looked up and smiled wryly. "Thanks for the save, Mr. Lifeguard."

Ranma brushed some water out of his hair and chuckled. "Soon as this mess is over, I _gotta_ teach you how to swim, tomboy." Akane coughed and giggled at the same time, giving him a light swat on the arm.

"Damn, Ran-chan, I knew you were good, but I didn't think you were _that_ good!" Ukyo exclaimed as both he and Akane got back to their feet. "Ya punched through that thing like he was made outta rice paper!"

"I'll say, and I know for a fact normal strikes don't do much against kappa shells," Shingen added, returning his weapon to its normal state. "So how long have you been practicing Sekkai Katto Sutoraiki anyway? I saw the way your aura merged with the blade at the crucial moment."

Ranma shrugged. "I haven't. I just wanted that thing gone, that's all."

It was Shingen's turn to blink. _He… he hasn't even practiced it? And he did it right on the FIRST try? I know I explained the theory to him, but… even a Hunter blade technique requires PRACTICE!_ He shook his head and tightened his bandanna. _But then again, he learned the Jinrai Tekken just from getting hit by it… Kami, remind me never to underestimate you, my friend…_ A sudden stirring on the periphery of his aura senses stopped him cold; snapping his head towards the canal, he caught sight of more shadows moving beneath the surface. "I don't think we're going to have much time to rest, guys."

The water exploded with movement, followed by two more kappa emerging from the depths, this time accompanied by a number of serpent-like demons and three things that resembled walking piles of seaweed. Ranma spun around, hands clenched. "What the hell… how many more o' these damn things _are_ there, anyway?"

"I don't think I want to know the answer to that," said Akane, shivering at the sight. _Good gods… if Ranma hadn't pulled me out of there…_

"This no good! More demon creatures on road, too!" Shampoo gesticulated wildly with her bonbori, indicating fresh shadows lurching through the fog from where they had come. A guttural laugh erupted from the other end of the street, followed by numerous imp-shaped shadows springing up before their eyes.

"This is just great, the bastards got us penned in!" Ryoga bellowed.

"Those turtle-things must've been advance scouts or something," Mousse mused as he swung the Sun and Moon swords up, holding them parallel to each other and to the ground. "We spent so long hitting the armored ones, it gave them time to marshal greater numbers." The others nodded in agreement and began to pull into defensive positions. Demon after demon sauntered out of the mist, flexing claws, talons or whatever appendages were available as they drew ever closer. Ranma gritted his teeth and sidled up to Akane; without speaking a word, they drew back to back and interlocked their elbows, tensing up for the dual attack they had used against Kuno's summoned oni days earlier. Ryoga fell into a boxing stance. Shampoo crouched low, eyes darting left and right, ready to slam the first imp that tried to grab at her.

Shingen's eyes suddenly widened… and a smile quickly spread across his face. "This may not be as bad as you think, everyone." He swung his naginata up, preparing to lunge. "You might want to duck; we've got company." Akane glanced up and was about to ask what he meant, but an instant later, a multi-path Astral Link entered her mind's ear and Ranma's… and in that instant, they both knew what was about to happen.

"_Spread your wings, Komadori!_" echoed a commanding female voice. "HARIMURE!"

There was a hard metallic twang- and next instant could only be described as chaotic. Dozens of silver ki-darts rained down from above, each dart screeching like a firework as it slammed into the body of the nearest available demon. Imps began bursting like balloons as Ranma, Akane, Shingen and the others ducked down and away from the darts' angle of descent. The kappa screeched in surprise as the ki bolts rebounded off their carapaces, smashing into their nearest unarmored cohorts- and then dropped to their knees as their eyes and necks were perforated by more of the same bolts. Howls of anguish erupted, followed by myriad numbers of lesser demons scattering from the street. In seconds, the path had been more or less cleared.

Ukyo glanced down the street in either direction. "What the… what in the blue blazes was THAT?" She scrambled to her feet and spun around, looking up… and blinked as Shingen began to laugh. Standing on the roof of the nearest house was a woman clad in black pants and a SWAT-style cargo vest, her long hair pulled back in a ponytail and a compound bow in her left hand… an unusually massive bow that looked somewhat like the longbows of feudal Japan and scintillating with a reddish-gold light. The woman appeared to be wearing a sort of metal glove on her left hand as well- and from their present angle, the glove appeared to be fused directly to the bow itself.

"That would just happen to be my younger sister, 'Hawk Eyes' Reika. Fashionably late, as usual."

The archer smirked. "And you're right in the thick of it, _as usual,_ niisan," she retorted. She drew another arrow from the quiver on her back and notched it. "Got word that something bad was about to go down late last night; took me till a half-hour ago to get here. Shinjuku traffic." She snapped the bowstring back and released, loosing the bolt into the fog from whence they had come. A humanoid shadow squeaked and collapsed, its essence dispersing into the mist.

"Wait a sec- Yamashira's got a sister?" Ryoga queried, scratching his head.

"We'll tell you about her later; you weren't here the first time she showed up," Akane replied.

"Goes without saying, Shin-chan, you _really_ picked a doozy of an assignment this time," said Reika as she pulled a fistful of paper wards from her vest, spreading them in a circle around her. "You all oughta get moving; those lesser spirits may be spooked, but they're not gonna stay away for long. I'll cover your back."

Shingen nodded. "So long as you know what you're doing, sis."

"Hey, you do what you do best, I'll do what I do best. But you better come back from that Focus Point alive, or I'm gonna kick your butt."

Ryoga blinked. "Hey… wait a sec, are we just going to leave her behind or something? In the middle of all these freaks? What happened to safety in numbers?" As he spoke, the growls and shrieks of lesser demons began to grow in volume once again.

"Hibiki, we haven't the time to argue," Shingen snapped. "Reika's an expert archer and the best warder and enchanter the Yamashira clan has to date. She knows what she's doing."

"Damn right I do, so GET YOUR BUTTS IN GEAR already!" the dark-haired archer shouted as she loosed another arrow, cutting down two imps at once. "My ammo supply isn't going to last forever, you know! Geez, talk about something out of a bad dream…" She concentrated as she drew back her next arrow; a silver pentagram erupted from the back of the metal glove locked to the bow, spreading its light along the grip, down the string and finally to the arrow. "HARIMURE!" The arrow was loosed, instantly splitting into myriad silver needles that screeched into the fog like bees, cutting through another swath of lesser spirits.

Ranma, however, didn't notice this. Nor did he notice the mass of imps and oni that had begun to gather at the other end of the road, closing their path again. He barely took note of the fact that Shingen was flinging another handful of darts at the first of their foes; he only blinked when Akane pushed his shoulder and told him there was no time to space out, that they needed to move fast. He blinked again when she shoved him again, this time asking him if he was alright. For the moment, his mind was fixated on what Reika had just said.

--------------------

_Something out of a bad dream…_

_A dream… that's right…_

_I dreamed myself to that place. The place in my mind… something I had to face by myself, I couldn't ask Acchan or anyone else to help me with it…_

_But I wasn't alone, was I? There was someone there to help me…_

_Ranko. My yin side. The other half of me that got twisted and bound by that damn curse spirit. She was there, ready to face that… thing inside of me._

_I remember now… yin and yang. Light and darkness. Human… and animal… and all inside of me. Two halves of the same damn coin… and no control over one tiny part of it._

_I remember the battle… one of the roughest ever. Blow for blow, it was even all the way… except that I wasn't fighting alone. There was Ranko… and… and the Sagara blade was there, too… and…_

_There was a name… the scabbard had a name…_

_The sword's name… I REMEMBER!_

--------------------

"Ranma, what's the matter with you? Are you just going to stare at those freaks all night? Snap out of it!" Akane gave Ranma's shoulder a third hard shove, prompting him to blink again and shake his head. He snapped to attention, noticing the growing platoon of spirits approaching them from the front. Reika was still on the roof sniping at various larger foes, conserving her energy; the others- with the exception of Akane- had fallen into a defensive line facing the immediate threat.

"Let 'em come to you. Don't waste energy just yet," Shingen said in a low tone.

"Don't have to tell me twice, sugar. I got a special take-out order waiting for these freaks." Ukyo slung her combat spatula and reached into her vendor's vest, her fingers curling around the object in question. The others nodded in agreement, each one brandishing their own preferred weapon- when a bonfire of reddish-gold ki erupted from directly behind them.

Shampoo turned and stared. "Aiya… what is Brother Ranma doing?"

"Sorry 'bout that," Ranma quipped, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "Didn't mean to get lost like that… just had a little revelation, that's all." With a quick hop, he was over the line, almost directly in front of the approaching demons- who stepped back a foot, staring at Ranma with curious eyes.

"Ranma! You dummy, what are you trying to do?" Akane hollered.

"I know you're pretty powerful, my friend," Shingen added, "but there's no sense using your ki all up at once!" He grasped his naginata tighter, pulling it back into a ready position.

"Don't worry 'bout me," Ranma replied with a crooked smile that quickly morphed into a calm look of determination. "I'm just getting warmed up… and I think I know the right way to use this." A flick of the wrist, and the wakizashi was out. Grasping the blade in both hands, he reached out with his own aura, letting it flow over and around the sword until something sparked within. He felt another aura reaching out, meshing with his- the sword's inner energy combining with his own, causing his ki to shift from red-gold to almost pure gold light.

"_Two halves of the same whole, reach out and fight as one… divide and unite, NIBAIKOTSU!_"

The blade exploded with energy as it suddenly swelled, growing upwards and outwards at the same time. Akane, Shingen and most everybody else gasped as Ranma suddenly pulled his hands apart, a length of pure light clutched in each hand. What had been a single wakizashi had promptly split into two swords, each one the length of a standard katana but with noticeably wider blades, similar to curved Chinese battle swords with Japanese tsuba and hilts. The left-hand sword hilt was wrapped in pure red cord, while the right-hand sword bore black. Intricate kanji and a detailed etching of dragons in flight stretched across the spine of each blade. Ranma breathed deeply, took a long look at both the swords and the newly shocked demons before him- and sprang directly into the fray, swinging the twin blades in devastating arcs that blazed through the first few lines in an instant.

Ryoga was the first to snap out of his stupor. "What the… what in HELL was that?"

"I don't believe it," Mousse murmured. "It was just one sword he had… but now he has two?"

"Good gods…" Akane breathed. _Shingen… did Ranma just do what I think he did?_

The taller Hunter turned his head to her and nodded. _I don't know what exactly brought it on, but he's discovered his sword's name. And it looks like the rumors were true… the Sagara clan was said to have mastered the art of the twofold weapon… but I don't think now's the time to be gawking!_ He snapped his eyes back to the chaos before him and raised his weapon. "No sense letting you do all the work, my friend!" he hollered as he lunged in, spearing and slashing at a squad of lesser oni along the sidelines. Akane nodded and followed suit, ducking around a startled Shampoo and somersaulting into the midst of a group of imps that promptly found themselves on the receiving end of a reverse roundhouse kick, followed her own sword flashing from its saya and splitting a number of airborne fiends from scalp to crotch.

"Hey! You guys ain't leaving me out of this!" Ryoga snarled, cracking his knuckles and charging forward, clotheslining two lesser oni simultaneously before spin-kicking a beast resembling a rabid white kitsune across the face. Out came the umbrella, and in the next instant demons began flying right and left, imploding into white ichors as the Lost Boy bludgeoned them with the force of a Sherman tank.

"You got that right!" Mousse added, chains bursting from the sleeves of his robe as Shampoo and Ukyo darted out to the sides, then back in again in a pincer attack. Imps began to swarm the two girls, only to fall back in shock as they were repeatedly gouged, battered, and spatula-slammed, in some cases into oblivion. Further ahead, Ranma and Akane had quickly lapsed into a coordinated sword kata that moved at lightning speed, their weapons passing dangerously close to one another as she slashed low and he flipped over her head, whipping his newly dual weapons in tight circles that tore through the spirits like buzzsaws. It got even riskier when Shingen joined their kata, dancing in and out of their patterns to spear a small but ravenous Reaver that had burst from the mist. For an instant, Ukyo had to pause and stare, wondering how much they had practiced their kata so as to avoid hitting one another.

They would have easily hit one another several times… were it not for the fact their minds were, quite literally, working in unison via the Astral. Even so, Shingen found himself shaking his head once again; he knew how Astral Link coordination had saved himself and Reika before, but their timing had been nowhere near as good as Akane's and Ranma's was. _It's like those two already knew how to Link before their blood even awakened,_ he mused as he smashed a True Oni across the forehead with the butt of his naginata, breaking its horns before driving a Jinrai Tekken-powered punch into its face.

It wasn't long before the path had been cleared once more, allowing the seven to breathe a quick sigh of relief- and one groan of indignation as Ranma's swords abruptly shrank and fused together, reverting to the form of a wakizashi once again. "What the… hey, why'd it do that? I thought…"

"Knowing your weapon's name is one thing. Sustaining its released state is gonna take practice, even for someone like you," Shingen replied, wiping sweat from the edge of his bandanna. "Still, the fact you released it's a damn good thing. Now, let's go!"

--------------------

The dark-haired archer smiled knowingly as she watched the last of the seven plunge into the mist. "Talk about madness… you really jumped in with both feet this time, Bro. Chaos stream was bad enough, now we've got the Archangel Protocol in effect." Her eyes snapped back to the fiends approaching from the way they had come; jamming a hand into a vest pouch, she procured a handful of paper wards and several darts carved of willow wood, which she promptly flung in an arc towards the nearest shadows. The shadows screeched and recoiled at the touch of the blessed objects, giving Reika time to draw another arrow. "I hope to Kami you got those two trained sufficiently, or you're gonna be in big trouble, Shingen… not to mention those four norms you got fighting with you." The arrow sped from her released-state bow, impaling an oni between the eyes. She drew another arrow and her smile broadened.

"Then again, if that one kid could release his sword's lock so soon… maybe I don't have to worry so much after all. HARIMURE!"

--------------------

A violet eye twitched. "So… it would appear the pig-tailed prodigy continues to grow."

Astaroth turned abruptly from the edge of Furinkan's roof and strode angrily towards his cohorts, one hand grasping his cane in a death grip. "Those insects are proving more stubborn than I first anticipated. And the scions are, indeed, growing stronger. If they continue to move forward at their present rate…"

"They may arrive before your preparations are complete, my Lord," Kurowashi interjected.

"Indeed." He reached up and brushed an ivory lock out of his face. "It matters not how powerful they grow by the time they arrive… but if they approach too soon, it may prove to be… inconvenient." He breathed out slowly. "And it would appear that there are unmarked pawns moving as well. Rather unexpectedly… they could hasten the Hunters' progress further."

"We can't have that, Astaroth-sama," Yoko purred, sidling up with a hungry look in her eyes. "Shall I… dissuade them? You know I've been _aching_ to inflict more pain on that fiery little Tendo girl."

Astaroth looked down at the petite vixen… and slowly smiled. "Deal with them as you wish." He turned his eyes to the great black Tengu. "Both of you. Kurowashi, I believe you may have just the technique to delay our imminent guests a while longer?"

The birdlike demon nodded. "A Shadow Maze it shall be, my Lord."

"Excellent. Do what you must." The Tengu and the girl nodded once, then turned and sprinted to the edge of the roof. Great black wings spread wide, and in an instant the two were airborne, with Yoko riding on the back of the massive Kurowashi.

Astaroth nodded, casting a derisive look at the two unconscious, bound females lying on the roof before turning back towards the broken section of tile where eldritch energy continued to spark and flare. Several stories below, the runic circle began to slowly close and grow more ornate as the tall demon lifted his cane and began to chant.

_Yes… do what thou wilt, just as I do even now. It shall not be long…_

To Be Continued.

--------------------

Author's Note 4/7/06: I'm not entirely sure if I managed to meet my self-imposed 3 week deadline; I know there were some of you eager for this next installment. Fact is, life happened. The closer I get to the end, the harder it gets to write it out- and there's still much more to take care of. At this point, I do have definitive events that I want to happen, but also a good portion that is nebulous. Combine that with the twists and turns of everyday life, and I can get pretty busy. Please, bear with me. I'll try to get the next chapter up before too long.

I haven't forgotten about certain characters, they've just been on hold here and there. Rest assured, those who are mentioned will have their roles to play.

The title of this chapter is derived from a line in the song _Stricken_ by Disturbed, from their album _Ten Thousand Fists._ One of my current favorite bands, and great music to write fight sequences to.

Reika's bow's name, Komadori, is Japanese for "robin". The attack she utilized comes from two words: _hari_(needle) and _mure_(a flock or a swarm). _Harimure_, then, is 'needle swarm'. This translation- and some others- comes from an online translator program; hopefully I haven't screwed up too much.

Ranma's weapon comes from the two words _nibai_ and _kotsu_, which could translate together as 'twofold skill'. Given the whole yin/yang nature of him in general, I felt it fit rather well.

A _kappa_ is a bona fide ancient Japanese demon, or water sprite of sorts. Their resemblance to four pizza-munching ninja turtles is coincidental, and was actually referred to in one of the TMNT movies. Kappa were around before they were- at least in Japanese folklore.

Thank you once again for your input and reviews; I only hope this chapter's quality holds up to that of the previous ones. More to come- when, I can't say for certain. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	39. Demon Days

Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. We now return to our story in progress.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 39: Demon Days

--------------------

It had been several blocks before Ranma suddenly blinked and drummed his feet to a halt. "Hey… hold up. Something doesn't feel right."

"Ran-chan, nothing feels right out here!" Ukyo skidded and stopped as well, taking an instant to twirl her combat spatula in a tight circle, splitting a lone imp in half. "We got fog and freaks all over the place, I think it goes without saying that something doesn't feel right!"

"No, I'm serious." Ranma stood stock-still in the middle of the road, eyes darting left and right. Mist continued to roil around them, and it wasn't hard to notice the ambient light was rapidly falling. The streetlamps were starting to take on an almost ethereal gleam, and random howls and screeches continued to echo from all sides. "I got a bad feeling about this…"

Akane nodded slowly, one hand adjusting the cord that held her sword in place. "You're not the only one; I think I can feel it too." She swallowed hard. "I can't tell if it's getting colder, or if it's just me…"

Shampoo blinked, glancing around from side to side in confusion. "This strange… where gray pervert midgets go? Can hear them, but no see."

"I can't see them either; it's like they up an' vanished or something!" Ryoga tugged his bandanna angrily. "What're they trying to do, mess with us a little more than they were?"

"Better stay on your guard; those things can blend into fog no sweat. But even so…" Shingen's eyes narrowed and he lowered his naginata into a ready position, blade low to the ground. "I haven't heard of imps just scurrying away for no good reason. I think something's about to happen, and they know it."

For a few moments, nobody moved. The sounds of imps cackling grew fainter still, followed by hands tightening their grip on various weapons. Even the light whistle of the breezes in the street grew dulled to the point where there was almost no sound at all. The mist thickened ever so slightly, the shadows darkening further and stretching across the road more so than they already had. Akane gulped; it felt like her heart was starting to echo in her eardrums. Shampoo tugged on one of her sleeves nervously.

Mousse's gaze traveled along the road, scouring one side and then the other- and abruptly stopped. "I don't know if it's just me…" His hand flew to the double scabbard on his hip. "But don't those shadows look a little too long? And I could almost swear they're growing longer by the second." The others blinked and snapped to attention, each one confirming in turn that Mousse wasn't seeing things. Great swaths of pure blackness were stretching from nearby alleys, walls, telephone poles and the like, running together and blending to create what appeared to be a solid wave of shadow that was inundating the street. It ebbed forward, inching slowly but surely towards the feet of the seven warriors before it. Everyone wearing a warding pendant began to feel a light burning sensation as the pendants reacted to the encroaching miasma, scintillating with an intense blue-white light.

"Okay, now I got a _really_ bad feeling about this!" Ranma's hands whipped close to his body as he began to gather ki between his palms. "What the hell's that joker playin' at now?"

"I don't know, but I'm starting to get a serious case of déjà vu." Akane stepped backwards rapidly, eyes locked to the pool of pure black that was slithering towards her feet. "Guys, whatever you do, don't step in that stuff! I don't know for sure, but it feels like…"

"Feels like it wants to suck ya into it, sugar?" Ukyo replied in a trembling voice.

Shingen growled. "Dammit. This is more than just some sort of illusory psych-out, this is _maboroshi ryu_- goddamned demonic Shadow Art. Some bastard's using pure Dark Energy against us!" He swung his weapon back. "Brace yourselves, and whatever you do, don't let it pull you away from…"

His words were suddenly lost as the sea of black surged forward, leaping off the ground and crushing forward like one great tidal wave. Ranma cried out in anger as he released his Moko Takabisha, pummeling the shadows with brilliant red ki and smashing part of the wave to pieces. Shampoo squealed as tendrils snapped at her legs, then swung her bonbori this way and that, batting the offending objects to the side. Ryoga and Mousse smacked another oncoming shadow wave dead-on, while Akane had unsheathed the Saito blade and was cutting neatly- albeit frantically- through another mass of shadow tentacles that was threatening to snare her arms and legs. Shingen spun his naginata in a wide arc, then slammed the blade directly into the pavement, creating a ki wave that knocked another section of shadow back. He stood back up just in time to see even more shadow energy out of the corner of his eye, rearing up to strike at him- and an instant later, Ukyo had slapped the concentration of darkness so hard it practically burst under the force of the blow.

"This is ridiculous!" Ryoga hollered as he swiped at the formless black miasma with his umbrella. "There's too much of this junk to beat back, it just keeps coming!"

"Less talk, more fight!" Ranma snapped, unleashing another ki blast into the blackness at the same instant Akane fired off her own blast. "Hey 'kane, you alright?"

"I think so," she fibbed, a slight tremble evident in her voice. "But how the hell are we going to get out of this? There's so much of it…"

"I knew it!" Shingen angrily smashed his naginata directly into a thick concentration of shadow, then ripped it across the road, tearing up chunks of asphalt along with the black ooze. "He's trying to make us wear ourselves out bit by bit; the more we fight this, the less we'll have when we DO face him!"

Ranma cracked his knuckles and sidled next to Akane, standing back to back as ki literally engulfed his fists. "Well then we're just gonna have to take this junk out all at once!" His hands shot up; chill winds began to emanate from him as the Soul of Ice took its effect…

…and the next instant, the shadow surged forward with unprecedented force and speed. Ranma didn't even have time to calculate _how_ he was going to snare the blackness in the Hiryu Shoten Ha before fighting suddenly became a moot point. Ebony chains exploded from the sea of shadow, snapping around weapons, wrists, legs, waists or anything else they could get a hold on. Each chain quickly coiled tighter than a python catching its prey- and began to pull downwards, into the darkness at their feet. Akane screamed out Ranma's name and tried to fight her way towards him, but to little avail. Ranma, likewise, called out her name and managed to somehow wrest his arms free of his bonds, pressing across the growing lake of darkness and lunging for her outstretched hand.

He was barely able to lock his fingers with hers when the chains pulled taut once again, breaking their grip and pulling the two teens apart again. Akane shrieked, and Ranma's heart froze as he saw her being sucked into the darkness, just as he was being sucked in himself.

"Don't let them pull us apart!" Shingen bellowed, his weapon and his arms snared by his own set of chains, which he was stubbornly wrestling against. "We've got to stay together!" Beside him, Ukyo and Ryoga were both fighting a pitched battle against the black shackles, and both were clearly losing, though to his credit Ryoga had managed to break several chains before they had encircled his elbows. Not far from them, Ranma could just make out Shampoo and Mousse in identical dire straits; she was up to her waist in shadow, while he was trying desperately to pull her back out again.

_Dammit… no… I'm not gonna let this crap take her away from me… ACCHAN!_ Fire blazed in Ranma's eyes and his ki flared brighter than before as he tried to fight his way out of the shadow trap, but the more he fought, the tighter the chains grew. Desperately he lunged time and again towards Akane, who was almost entirely engulfed by the shadow, but every time he managed to almost reach her, more snares burst from the blackness and pulled him back. He kept twisting out, breaking chain after chain, but they seemed endless. He gritted his teeth and yelled out in anguish, pushing against the bonds with all his might… yet could do nothing as he saw Akane and several of the others pulled into the abyss at their feet.

He thought he saw a faint flicker of motion on the periphery of his vision- something flashing through the mist, in the near vicinity of where Ukyo and Shingen were being pulled in- and the next moment, all was black as the darkness engulfed every last one of them.

--------------------

On a rooftop not far from Furinkan, the great seven-foot Tengu stood in a state of intense concentration. His wings were spread and arms outstretched, tracing arcane symbols in the air. His eyes flared crimson and his breath grew harsh as indigo-black streaks of ki oozed from his fingertips, dribbling through the air and seeping down the sides of the building to join with the shadows of the alleys and streets below. Thin fingers of blue lightning arced through the roiling, smoky ki as his hand motions became more intense.

"Bind." His index fingers snapped up. A throb of energy pulsed through the blackness, echoing down to the street level. "Draw!" The index fingers curled. "Separate!" The Tengu suddenly brought both palms together, then swept his hands outward in wide arcs. There was a sudden deep rumbling of the earth… and an instant later, four great globules of shadow hurtled up from a nearby roadway that led directly to Furinkan's front gate. The black bubbles pulsed and quivered, then burst apart from one another, flinging themselves hither and yon across the city blocks of Nerima. The Tengu jabbed the air with his fingers and the spheres altered their paths yet again, and then a third time, until finally they dropped to the ground with a series of heavy thuds.

Kurowashi let out a long breath and dropped to one knee. "It is done." He paused, then chortled, a heavy basso chuckle. "Let's see how well they like strength in numbers when the balance isn't tilted in their favor."

The petite girl in the purple bodysuit next to him giggled, then frowned. "You seemed to have a touch of trouble for a moment, dear Kuro-chan. A tad rusty, are we?"

"Try being bound inside a transformation curse for a year and see if _you_ aren't out of practice, child." The Tengu folded his arms and glared at the streets below. "Those whelps are quite strong to have resisted the Shadow Maze's pull for as long as they did; Saotome in particular was one of the tougher ones to snare."

Yoko flipped her bangs petulantly. "The way that boy is about his mate, it's hardly surprising. He really was _so_ fun to watch each time something new fell between them." She paused, then looked at the large demon with a concerned eye. "You _did_ manage to separate them, didn't you?"

"Rest assured, you'll have your fun soon enough," the Tengu replied, cracking his knuckles. "Saito's heir is all by her lonesome, blocks away from any of the others- and they'll all have their own adversaries to contend with." His wings flapped once, spreading outward. "And even if they aren't done in, my shadow art hurled them far enough back that not a one will arrive before the Master's Gate is complete."

Yoko nodded and licked her lips. "Then perhaps I shall pay little Miss Tendo a visit," she purred, running a fingernail along the tattoos on her right forearm. "And you- what will you do?"

Kurowashi's avian face curled into a crooked smile. "I have unfinished business with a former Host."

There was a rustling of feathers and a great rush of air, and the Tengu bounded from the rooftop, soaring towards a distant side street where one of the ebony spheres had descended. Yoko giggled sadistically, and a moment later she was bounding across the rooftops herself in another direction, her fingernails stretching into wickedly curved claws.

--------------------

Ranma stirred. _What the hell… what just happened…_ He felt a rush of icy air across his chest and winced as sensations began to return to him. His fingers twitched, arm muscles tensing and relaxing in turn. He drew in a long breath, feeling the pavement under his back- and his eyes promptly shot open.

_No. Oh Kami, no… that shadow… those chains… pulling at me, yanking me into… into some kinda empty place, away from… NO!_ He jerked to the side and rolled up onto his elbows, quickly springing to his feet. "Akane!" His head snapped up and he quickly ascertained he wasn't anywhere near the street they'd been on; from his vantage point, he was smack in the middle of a residential district at least seven blocks back from where he had been. "Shingen?" His eyes narrowed as he glanced right and left, noting that local alleys and the tops of the concrete walls were bristling with what appeared to be solid walls of darkness, affording no real shortcut options or escape routes. Ranma shuddered and rubbed his temple feverishly as he realized he couldn't feel any auras in his near vicinity- nothing human, nothing demonic, nothing at all. "AKANE! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"She isn't here, Ranma," said a voice directly behind him. "Nobody else is, just you and me."

Ranma practically jumped out of his skin and spun on one heel. "Dammit, Ryoga! Don't sneak up on me like that, ya almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I wasn't sneaking up on you, you damn dummy!" Ryoga shot back as he pulled himself to his feet. "You just didn't bother to look behind you, that's all." He cracked his neck and glanced up the shadow-saturated road. "What kind of a mess have you gotten me into now, Ranma…"

"Oh sure, go ahead an' blame _me_ when you practically begged us to bring ya with us! I thought you were done with that, pork butt!"

"Wha- HEY! Stop calling me that!"

"I would if you'd stop blamin' me for every damn thing under the sun! Ya think those shadow-things were my fault? Or those chain-things? Huh?"

"Okay! OKAY!" Ryoga groaned, holding his hands up. "I wasn't trying to; it was just a reflex, alright? I'm sorry!" He hung his head and blew out a long breath before looking up again. "I just got kinda surprised, that's all. Damn shadow just swallowed me up for a moment, freaked me out a bit." _Like frickin' Toma's island all over again…_

"Yeah, me too." Ranma gritted his teeth and glared up the street. The shadow partitions sealing off the alleys and estate walls seemed too high to leap over, but he could just make out the flickering indigo bonfire that marked Furinkan in the distance- even through the fog that continued to roll in. "That son of a bitch… he really is turning this all into some damn game." He screwed his eyes shut and clenched his fists, focusing inward on his mind's ear, probing for a response from another. _Akane, where are you? Can you hear me? Please… tell me where you are…_

"So where the hell are we now?" Ryoga groused, hefting his umbrella. "I know we're supposed to be heading for that big light thingy, but I don't know if I've been through this part of town before, or… Hey! Are you listening to me?"

"I'm listening," came the reply through clenched teeth. "And as far as where we are, we're not where we're supposed to be."

Ryoga rolled his eyes. "Oh, that's a big help… and what's the deal with all that black stuff on the sides of the street? Is that supposed to be a wall?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Ranma replied, opening his eyes with a dejected sigh. "Looks like walls to me… so the jagoff's probably tryin' to make us take the long way to get him."

"What about the others, you think they're in the same kinda…"

"I don't KNOW, man, but we stay here and keep on talking, who knows what's gonna happen to the rest of them! C'mon, we gotta move!" Ranma turned on his heel and started to run; Ryoga blinked, stumbled once and began to run as well.

"Okay, I can get moving, but move WHERE? Just follow the road or wherever we don't see a black wall?" Ryoga sidestepped to the left, raising his umbrella as he came to a nearby alleyway. "Who says we can't just bust outta here and take a shortcut?" The umbrella lashed out and smacked against the shadow wall over the alley- which promptly stretched like rubber and then rebounded, throwing Ryoga off-balance for an instant.

"I think those damn walls just said so, Ryoga," was Ranma's humorless reply. He skidded to a halt and glared at the black partition. "Either that, or maybe ya just didn't hit it right." His hand flew to his wakizashi's hilt, drawing the blade and striking in one fluid motion. Sparks flew and a gash opened up across the nearest mass of shadow- which quickly filled itself in, sealing the gash almost as fast as it opened. "Okay… that doesn't work either, and I'll bet ya anything it ain't gonna let us jump over it. You got any better ideas?"

Ryoga snarled and punched the road beneath him, creating a rather nicely sized pothole. "What the hell kind of a trick is this, anyway?"

"Beats the hell outta me… but whatever it is, it's doin' more than just holding us in. I can't feel a single damn battle aura anywhere nearby- not even yours, man." _And you can call me a Chinese lapdog if all this shadow ain't screwing it up so I can't Link with Acchan or Shingen._ He angrily flipped his pigtail over one shoulder and started running again with Ryoga close behind. "Just like a mouse in a maze."

"More like Pac-Man if you ask me. I'm actually kinda surprised that white-haired bastard isn't sending some of his goons after us…" His train of thought ground to a halt as the pavement under their feet abruptly shook and a very large figure suddenly loomed out of the fog. "Uh… guess I spoke too soon."

"Gee, ya think so, Ryoga?" Ranma snapped as the fog thinned ever so slightly, revealing a great humanoid standing over eight feet tall with skin that looked like solid stone, clad only in an off-white breechcloth. A sudden shriek echoed from behind the two teens, followed by numerous giggles as a bevy of imps, lesser oni and a number of avian demons resembling multi-eyed crows approached from the far end of the street. Several additional shrieks indicated more of the same lesser demons- and a few True Oni- just beyond the rock golem in front of them. The giant stone man grinned, a deep, gritty laugh emerging from somewhere in his chest. He took one step, then lunged forward, slamming both hands into the street so hard that his fingers were buried up to their knuckles. The beast reared back again- and with a horrific crack, yanked a prodigious chunk of concrete directly out of the road and held it over his head.

Ryoga's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed. "Great. Penned in again, there's only the two of us, and that guy wants to play Extreme Frisbee."

"And those buddies of his ain't spectators," Ranma growled, sheathing his sword. "We gotta get outta here, and we gotta do it FAST!" His body coiled, knees bending as he prepared to spring through the stone man's legs…

…and the man reared back and flung the concrete discus fast and low, skimming the ground like a lawnmower with a speed that made Ranma gasp. Instead of springing forward, Ranma found himself dodging to the side just as Ryoga leapt in the opposite direction; the two each collided against the barrier lining the street as the chunk of pavement exploded a yard beyond where they had been standing. Ranma grunted as he pushed away from the shadow barrier, tucked and rolled forward, intending to uppercut the giant before it knew what he was doing. "Hey, gravel breath! Try chewin' on this for a change! JINRAI TEKKEN!" Ki burst from his knuckles as he drove his fist into the giant's left cheekbone, creating a minor sonic boom that reverberated up and down the street and knocked several watching imps silly.

The giant recoiled slightly- then grinned. "**Feisty one, aren't you, little Hunter?**" he chuckled in his gravely voice before driving his own fist into Ranma's solar plexus, knocking the breath from his body and sending him airborne. At that instant, a cadre of lesser demons decided to make their presence known and charged from the other side towards the descending Ranma and a less-than amused Ryoga. Ranma just barely managed to catch his breath and righted himself in mid-flight before he slammed into the pavement head-first.

"You want some, you little creeps? C'mon then, come get some!" Ryoga proceeded to lambaste any and every imp within reach with his umbrella, scything half a dozen away with two great sweeps. "Mess up _my_ day, will ya? Mess up _my friends'_ day, will ya?" He hefted the umbrella and promptly flung it at one of the larger of the oni in the group, cracking it in the forehead and breaking its neck. "_Big mistake, guys!_"

"Ryoga, hate to tell ya this, man, but we got bigger problems than the small fry!" Ranma gasped as he elbowed two batlike demons out of his face. Ryoga spun around, about to ask what he was talking about, but quickly refrained when he noticed the stone giant gripping a nearby telephone pole at the base. The beast grunted and pulled, tearing the pole out of the ground as though it were made of paper, then brandishing the massive thing like a spear as he took several surprisingly agile steps towards the two teens.

"Oh. Right. DAMN!"

"**You're quite amusing to watch, puny humans,**" the stoneman grumbled. "**But now, I'm afraid you'll have to die.**" A quick step, and the telephone pole shot forward, very nearly clocking both Ranma and Ryoga in the face; the golem gave the pole a sharp twist and swung to the side, smacking Ryoga across one shoulder and sending him flying into a nearby wall. He grinned, then swung back around, aiming for Ranma's head, but Ranma had recovered somewhat from the earlier gut punch and sprang skyward, the telephone pole missing him by inches.

"Sorry, but I got no plans on dyin' today!" He twisted in midair and planted his feet on one of the shadow walls lining the street- noting, as he did, that they seemed to grow upwards in time with his ascent. _I knew it. No chance of jumping these goddamned walls…_ He coiled for a microsecond, then leaped again, past the head of the giant and rebounding off the other side of the street. He passed the giant's head again; there was a sudden flash and a shower of sparks as Ranma's sword was drawn, crashing across the back of the granite-like head of the beast. Ranma hit the ground, spun on one heel and darted in- but the demon merely shook off the blow and thrust at Ranma's head with the telephone pole once more.

"Okay, I'll give ya props for being tough," the pig-tailed one snarled. "And ya may be fast- but I'm FASTER!" His body blurred an instant before the pole collided with his face- and the stone man blinked in surprise as Ranma reappeared, standing on top of the pole. A cocky grin flashed across his face- and suddenly he was racing along the pole, sword blazing left and right, until he was practically on top of the giant's shoulders. The wakizashi flashed like lightning, followed by several hideous scraping sounds akin to claws on a chalkboard. The stone giant's grip on the pole faltered as multiple score lines appeared along his weapon, followed by the entire thing breaking to bits.

Ranma shifted his weight, balancing on the demon's arms as he swung the sword up again- but then stopped and stared. "What the…"

An instant later, his leg had been hooked by a massive stone hand and he found himself hurled to the ground, his back slamming against the pavement almost hard enough to knock the wind out of him again. His sword fell from his grasp as he rolled to one side, gasping for breath and pulling on his inner ki reserves to dull the pain. The giant stood in front of him, hands on hips, laughing- with no mark of any sort on his skin.

"**A valiant effort, Sagara's heir. But you must realize I can't be cut.**" He looked scornfully at the dropped wakizashi and snorted. "**Not by a Hunter who doesn't even know how to use his own weapon, anyway.**"

Ranma gritted his teeth and pulled himself up, his aura flaring bright crimson as he fought his own wounds off. "Can't be cut, huh. You so sure 'bout that, marblehead?" He bent down and snapped up the wakizashi, interrupted only by a flash of pain shooting up his spine. "Fact is, I'm just getting warmed up here! Divide and unite, NIBAIKOTSU!" Both hands gripped the sword as white-gold light shot along the blade; once again the blade swelled, grew, then split in twain, replacing the single wakizashi with twin scimitar-style weapons which he quickly brought up into a ready position.

"**So you still wish to break through me? Very well… let's just see you try it!**" Massive stone hands grappled the pavement yet again, ripping another chunk of road up and over the golem's head. Behind him, the troupe of Oni began to cheer him on, leering at Ranma with their bulbous yellow eyes. Ranma's eye twitched as he locked eyes with the stone beast; he could almost hear the gaggle of imps behind him, making ready to trip him up at a moment's notice. His grip tightened on each sword as the stoneman took a step, preparing to hurl the slab his way.

It was then that something happened that Ranma wasn't expecting. Had his aura sense not been dulled by the shadow partitions lining the road, he might have felt it an instant before it occurred, even without the additional sense granted by his Hunter blood. As it was, though, he felt very little, relying only on his eyes and ears to read the stoneman's moves.

Just as the golem hurled the slab of pavement and Ranma readied himself to strike at it, a foot collided with the top of his skull.

"RANMA! THIS ONE'S MINE!"

For the first time since he could recall in recent months, Ranma found _his_ head utilized as a springboard as Ryoga pounced over him, sailing through the air to meet the oncoming projectile headlong. His right arm jabbed outward, mere seconds before the slab collided with him- and the slab promptly exploded into hundreds of shards, peppering the newly-startled golem with asphalt shrapnel. The beast shook the debris off, then bellowed and swung his fists directly at the sides of Ryoga's head. One hand shot out and intercepted the golem's right hand, while another collided with his left, and the next thing anyone knew, Ryoga was locked up with the stone man, each one pushing resolutely against the other with all the force they could muster.

Ranma shook his head to clear the stars and stared. "Ryoga, what the hell do ya think yer doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing, Ranma?" Ryoga shot back through clenched teeth. "You get out of here; I can handle this freakshow by myself!"

"By _yourself?_ _Are you insane?_"

"I'm trying to help, you moron! What, you think I'm just gonna let this thing beat both of us silly so that _neither_ of us gets to that Astaroth prick?" The golem tensed up and pushed harder, causing Ryoga's knees to buckle, but he promptly dug his heels in and refused to budge more than an inch. "Look, I'm not tryin' to show you up, so stop your damn grandstanding and get a move on!"

Ranma blinked and stared at Ryoga for an instant- which quickly passed as a trio of imps decided to charge him from the rear, screeching and grasping at his arms and legs. He quickly spun in a circle and brought Nibaikotsu's blades across their faces, obliterating them all before turning to face the grappling duo again. "Ryoga, you don't have to do this…"

"Don't I?" He turned his head and smirked. "Just get outta here and thrash the bastard one for me, okay?" Ryoga turned his eyes back to the stoneman, glared and shoved back, pushing the demon a full half-inch before the two reached stalemate again. "And besides… you got somebody waiting for you out there, don't you?"

Ranma's eyes widened. _Oh damn, he's right… Acchan!_ He shook his head again and hefted his twin swords onto his shoulders. "I won't forget this, old buddy," he murmured, pulling into a low crouch. "You better not get yourself killed, or I'm gonna kick yer ass!" His legs uncoiled like an Olympic sprinter, propelling him narrowly past the massive stone man and into the faces of the Oni squad behind him. The Oni stared, slack-jawed, as the pig-tailed teen lunged into their midst and proceeded to cut through them with ease; within seconds, the Oni had turned to powder and Ranma had disappeared, running like a bat out of hell.

_Heh… guess you forgot, Ranma. You might not be able to cut this guy, but I got no problem with it!_ Ryoga grinned, but the grin quickly evaporated as the stoneman took a different tactic and pulled upward. Ryoga found himself airborne, then winced as one massive hand yanked his arm hard, turning him in a half-circle at the apex of his ascent. He shot his hands out to either side in a desperate block as two stone arms flung themselves around him, and the next thing he knew, he was in the most uncomfortable bear hug of his life.

"**You may have let your Hunter friend escape, young one,**" the demon growled, "**but you're not going anywhere. Time to die.**"

"Like Hell it is," Ryoga snarled, snaking his hands up and planting them on the golem's wrists. He took a deep breath, then began pushing outward with every ounce of strength he had left. _I hope to Kami this works; haven't tried it yet, but if Shingen said I could, then… might as well give it a shot!_ A strangled growl escaped the Lost Boy's throat as he pushed, and the golem squeezed, until finally the stone arms' grip loosened ever so slightly. An instant later, the demon roared and squeezed back harder than before- but the only thing he was grappling was a beige shirt and a freshly crushed backpack.

The demon's eyes widened. "**What the…**" He stared at the items in his hands for an instant, until a defiant 'bwee' sound drifted up from his feet. He dropped the shirt and the pack and glanced down just in time to see a black piglet- in a crumpled pair of trousers- abruptly transform back into human form.

"Heh. Guess he was right when he said I could change if I wanted to." Ryoga locked eyes with the flabbergasted demon and lunged forward again, jabbing his index finger into the thing's lower abdomen. "Now chew on this, freak! BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

The golem barely had time to scream before exploding in a maelstrom of rock and white ichors.

--------------------

Ranma's ears perked up at the sudden scream accompanied by the sound of breaking concrete. He slowed for an instant, turning his head back the way he had came and peering around, before shaking it off and resuming his mad dash through the shadow-encased street. _That dummy better be okay… but then again, knowing that guy's power like I do, he might just put up a decent fight yet._ He paused long enough to slice his way through another cadre of imps, then smirked. _Heh. For all I know, he mighta tried using the Breaking Point on that mammoth; assuming it works on living stone the way it does ordinary stone, then maybe…_

He shrugged, then turned his attention back to the road. It was still closed in on most sides by the blackness with the occasional twist and turn, and to his eternal displeasure, continued to thwart his efforts to break through. "Friggin' thing goes on forever," he groused, vaulting over a trio of albino serpents and lobbing off their heads as he did so. "Can't jump over 'em, can't cut through them fast enough." He sprang to one side of the street and proceeded to assault another section of shadow with both halves of Nibaikotsu, but to little avail. "Gonna take me all night to even get to the end, let alone find that white-haired bastard." A lesser oni howled and tried to grab and bite him from behind, but he quickly turned and dispatched the beast with little trouble. "Can't even _feel_ right with these walls blockin' my senses off, can't hear…"

_Ranma!_

He froze in mid-stride, skidding to a halt. "What the…" His eyes widened and he frantically began searching the street left and right. "Was that…? Akane? AKANE, WHERE ARE YOU?"

_Ranma, where'd you go… where is everyone… Ranma, can you hear me? HELP ME!_

His eyes narrowed. _I knew it… I'd know Acchan's voice anywhere! Acchan! Where are you?_

_I… I don't know… it looks like I'm still in town, but there's black walls everywhere!_ Ranma winced; the tone of the Astral was heavily distorted and faint, but he could hear the panic in her mind. _I don't see anyone else, I can't even feel much of… of…_

There was a pause. _Oh… oh, no. It's that… that lackey of his is right in front of… Ranma, where are you? Please!_

"Dammit!" Ranma screamed, slamming a fist against the shadow tunnel and starting to run again. "Damn it all to Hell an' back again! That's it, I'm gonna kill that bastard _twice_ for this! Yankin' me away from 'kane, throwin' us in some stupid maze, can't jump the walls, can't hack the walls, freaks comin' out of every last goddamned shadow…"

His feet abruptly locked up again and he blinked twice before snapping his attention back to the black miasma. _Shadow… up and down the streets… oh, DUH! I don't believe it, it was right there the whole time and I never even realized it! Kami, how could I be such a BAKA!_ He relaxed his grip on Nibaikotsu, letting the weapon's energy recede and re-merge until it once again resembled an ordinary wakizashi. Slamming it back into the saya, he turned to the wall and smirked. He could see out of the corner of his eyes, there were more lesser demons drifting towards him from either end of the road, while the indigo bonfire from Furinkan still seemed some distance away over the tops of the shadow maze.

"If I can't cut it or go over it, then I'll just have to go through it," Ranma quipped, pulling his hands close to his chest. _Don't worry, Acchan… I'm on my way. But you're gonna have to guide me. Just hang on._ He drew closer to the shadow, pulling his aura in tighter and tighter.

Just as the first wave of imps was about to lunge at him, his aura disappeared completely and the Umisen-ken joined him with the shadows, leaving behind a number of bewildered demon-kin.

--------------------

--------------------

_Where am I? What just happened… all those shadows, those chains… pulling me down… away…_ Ukyo's chest tightened and her body twisted, trying to throw off the icy sensations racing up her spine. _Good gods, they were everywhere… darkness… the cold… so cold…_ Her face contorted in panic and sweat fell from her temples. One arm thrashed to her side, finally registering the hard surface she was lying on. "S-stop… make it stop, please… d-don't take them away… someone, PLEASE…"

"Ukyo, calm down!" The voice broke through the residual sensations, halting her panic-induced thrashing. She felt a gloved hand resting on her shoulder, lifting her up until she was being cradled in one arm. She shuddered, then snapped her eyes open and looked up. "It's okay. Just settle down; I was hoping you wouldn't have to deal with something like this. Wishful thinking, I suppose."

Ukyo let out a relieved sigh. "Shin-kun… what in the name of won ton soup just happened?" She reached up and grabbed his shoulder, pulling herself to her feet as quick as her feet would allow. "Felt like I was gettin' pulled three ways by a wild tiger or something. You okay?"

"I'll be fine; what about you?" At her nod, Shingen let out a sigh of his own, then turned to glare down the fog-filled road they seemed to have landed in. "Well, as for what just happened, we've just fallen victim to something called a Shadow Maze- which is another way of saying that what I didn't want to happen, just happened. We've been split up."

Ukyo's eyes widened, darting left and right as she fumbled with the grip of her combat spatula. "Split up? Ya mean everyone else is… just gone?"

"Not gone, I don't think. If that demon's playing the sort of game I think he is, he's toying with us- wearing us down before we reach him, bit by bit." He hefted his naginata as a sudden baying of unearthly beasts echoed down the shadow-lined road. "That Greater Tengu's probably behind this, that type of demon practically specializes in Shadow magic. I know, I've had to fight my way out of Shadow Mazes before."

"So what're you saying, sugar? We just got dumped off-course by that black blob and now we've gotta get out and find the others?"

"That's about the size of it," Shingen muttered, pointing up and to the far right where a flare of indigo light could just barely be seen. "My guess is we've gotten pushed back from where we were by at least seven blocks, maybe more. On top of that, those walls ain't gonna let us out easily; they take forever to break through and you can't jump over them in the slightest."

Ukyo gritted her teeth. "That ain't all, I'll bet; I'm getting bad vibes just lookin' at the damn things." She inched her hand towards her throwing spatula bandoleer. "Those black walls get any closer together, I think I'm gonna get claustrophobia…" A howl echoed from behind her, causing her breath to catch in her throat. "W-what was that?"

"Probably any number of things, Ucchan," the tall Hunter replied, reaching over and giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't let it psyche you out; just stick with me and follow my lead. We're gonna get out of this." _Make that we HAVE to get out of this; the longer we stay here, the worse things are gonna be when we DO get to the school. Can't even sense auras properly in this maze… I really, REALLY hate Tengus and their goddamned maboroshi ryu…_

"I think we've got company, Shin-kun." She took a quick step and pressed her back to his, lifting her weapon as the sound of shuffling feet drew closer- many shuffling feet. The mist began to dissipate, thinning to the point where the outlines of several dozen imps could be seen encroaching from both sides. Their emerald eyes glinted in what little light remained as they began to spread out, slowly circling the two fighters. Ukyo's eyes narrowed and she bit her lip. "Just like a pack of rats, huh. One's not a big problem…"

"But a swarm of them is." Shingen tightened his grip on his naginata; the blade shone bright gold for an instant as the serrations appeared along both sides. Ukyo did likewise, swinging the spatula into a ready position, one hand close to her vest. The imps started to giggle maniacally as more and more emerged from the mists, crouched low and prepared to charge the duo en masse.

Their attention was so focused on Ukyo and Shingen that they never saw the attack before it hit.

Shingen's eyebrows shot up as a faint humanoid silhouette emerged within the depths of the fog in front of him- and a second later, the air exploded with a myriad of slashing noises and tortured cries. Dozens of shuriken erupted from the mist, cutting a swath through an entire section of imps, scattering some and obliterating a few that were unfortunate enough to take shuriken to the neck. The shadow disappeared, then just as quickly reappeared in the midst of another clump of imps. "Get away from this place, you vermin!" the figure shouted, drawing a straight blade and spinning in a circle, knocking the demon-kin about.

Ukyo gasped. "I… I don't believe it… is that… _what's he doing out here?_"

"We'll have time enough to ask later, Ukyo, but right now I think our friend just bought us an opening!" Shingen whipped around and swung his weapon in a wide arc just as the remaining bewildered imps recovered and swarmed the streets. "CHAIN BLADE!"

"KINBAKU GOMU IRI TAKISOBA!" was Ukyo's response as she deftly procured her stash of trick noodles and flung them in an arc of her own; they quickly found their marks on the hands, arms and necks of multiple imps, snaring them in an effective stranglehold. A hard yank, and the imps found themselves airborne, hurtling directly towards the incoming spatula in her other hand. She slashed three to bits with one strike, pounded another into the pavement and sent several others flying skyward where they were quickly dispatched by the shadow with the straight blade- now revealed to be a scarlet-clad kunoichi who wasn't looking quite as feminine as usual.

A screech of pavement being shredded echoed up and down the street at the same time as Shingen spun Karasuhebi's cobra-like blade up and down, thrashing through huge swaths of imps with ease. He changed his grip and turned on one heel, then thrust straight out, harpooning another batch as the blade stretched to ridiculous lengths. "Ukyo, jump!" he shouted, drawing the weapon back again and then swinging hard. She nodded, spun on one heel and leaped into the air just as he brought the segmented blade low along the ground like a lawnmower, smashing through even more imps while she peppered them from above with throwing spatulas. Another volley of shuriken spiraled through the air courtesy of the third attacker, who bounded from one side of the road to the other, harrying the imps as much as possible. It wasn't long before the last of the imps was carved and stabbed into powder and Shingen pulled himself up to his full height, returning his weapon to its usual state.

The kunoich dropped to the ground next to Ukyo and looked up with an apologetic smile. "Sorry I'm late, Ukyo-sama…" was all that got out before the brown-haired girl dropped her spatula and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Konatsu! Oh, thank Kami… I thought you'd gone and left town and that I wasn't gonna be able to…" She shook her head, then started shaking him hard enough to make his eyes spin. "_Where have you been?_ Why'd ya have to go and run off before we even talked things over? And what're you doing out here, don't ya know the town's full of freaks right now? You have any idea how dangerous it is?"

"I… I just w-wanted to h-help," Konatsu mumbled dizzily. "H-have a few t-tricks of my own, s-still one of the best kunoichi around…"

"I know that," muttered Ukyo in a more subdued tone. "I know yer one of the best, 'natsu, and I'm sorry I haven't said so much, but _still_!" Her anxiety started to rise again and she was about to give him a diatribe on taking stupid risks, when she felt a gentle pressure on her left shoulder.

"Ucchan, he did give us an opening against that horde," said Shingen gently as he moved his hand from her shoulder to her upper back. "And from the few times I actually saw him just now, it looked like he held his own pretty well. Besides… _you_ knew about the danger and you saw fit to come along, didn't you?"

"Well… yeah, but that's different! I mean, I was… you know, one friend trying to help out a… I mean…" Her words ground to a halt, and a moment later her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Okay… maybe it's not that different…" She looked up, noting Konatsu had managed to recover from most of the shaking. "Are you okay, Natsu-chan?"

Konatsu quickly perked up at the name. "I'll be fine, but what about you, Ukyo-sama? Are you hurt at all?"

"Trust me, I'm okay. A little shook up about everything, but I'll be all right." She paused and gave him a wan smile. "I had Shin-kun here watching my back up till now." Shingen scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly.

Konatsu's smile faltered for an instant, but he quickly covered it up. "That's good… I was afraid you might've gotten overwhelmed out here, and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to find you in time." He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and dropped his gaze to the ground. "Ukyo-sama, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you the way I did… I just… well…"

Ukyo's face fell and she reached forward, prodding Konatsu's chin up so his eyes met hers. "Stop that, okay? You don't have to apologize; Kami, I'm the one who oughta be apologizing to you, ya big lug!"

"No, I should have stayed and just talked things out with you, instead of running off and sulking when I could have been of some help to you…"

"Natsu, will ya cut it out already?" Ukyo heaved a sigh, then reached up and tousled his hair. "Okay, granted you did get me kinda worried when you disappeared, but I probably wasn't much help either… you've been a really good friend, the least I coulda done was said thank you."

Konatsu blinked. "You were worried about me?"

"Of course I was, ya dummy." She gave him a warmer smile and dropped her hand from his head to his shoulder. "Look, we can talk about this later, right now we've really gotta…"

"GET DOWN!"

Ukyo felt a sudden jolt as Shingen shoved her and Konatsu roughly to one side- and her eyes shot open as a gray-skinned woman's head lunged out of the fog almost right next to them. She barely caught a glimpse of the woman's sickly yellow eyes before her mouth snapped wide open, revealing jaws set with rotting, sharklike teeth. She felt Konatsu rolling, turning his shoulder to accept the brunt of the impact, then saw Shingen lash out with his left arm. In an instant, the woman screeched and caught his forearm in her jaws, sinking her teeth deep into his jacket sleeve. Ukyo shrieked; Shingen growled in pain and the woman snarled, tugging her head back further into the mist, which had thinned to the point where all three could see the serpentine neck connecting the head to her body more than two yards away.

"Oh my God! Shingen!" Ukyo gasped.

"What's happening? That creature just came out of nowhere!" Konatsu's hand flew to the ninja blade at his side just as Shingen twisted and yanked back, pulling the long-necked woman off balance.

"It's nothing," the Hunter gasped through clenched teeth. "This is why I hate Shadow Mazes…" He let his naginata fall to the ground next to him. "Messes up your peripheral senses, can't track auras properly…" His right hand flew to his lower back, grasping something beneath his jacket. "And it lets bitches like this catch you OFF GUARD!" With a rush of strength, he pulled with his left arm again, but the rokurokubi refused to relinquish her grip and moved with his motion- just as his right hand retrieved his jade tanto and stabbed her through the neck. The demon screeched and pulled away rapidly, white fluids spilling from her wound. Shingen dropped to one knee, not so much from his injury but more to retrieve his primary weapon; Ukyo caught a glimpse of his sleeve and saw that a good deal of the outer leather had been ripped away, revealing the inner lining of chain mail which had absorbed more of the demon's attack. In several places, the chain links had broken and blood was welling out slowly.

"**That hurt, you impudent Hunter!**" the long-necked woman cried. "**I think I'll hurt you doubly for that! BURN!**" Her neck reared up like a dancing cobra, light flashed in her eyes and she exhaled a gout of fire directly at the trio in front of her.

"MAKOTO TOKU!" Shingen's left hand shot forward, the pentagram on the back of his glove shining bright as his ki shield sprang up a bare instant before the flames struck. The woman glared and continued to breathe, but the shield stood its ground and only shuddered once under the onslaught. The flames grew higher and hotter- which is when Konatsu decided to make his move.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not about to sit idly by and do nothing; I didn't throw myself into that pool of shadow to be a spectator!" Before Ukyo could say anything, the kunoichi disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke. The inferno continued to burn for several seconds longer, until his voice abruptly emerged from- presumably- directly behind the snake-woman. "HAPPO BIJIN SHURIKEN!" Wet stabbing sounds followed his cry; the demon howled and the stream of fire suddenly ceased. From their vantage point, Ukyo and Shingen could see the woman writhing as she tried to rid herself of the volley of throwing stars stuck in her back. She swung around, whipping her arms to try and strike her attacker- and Konatsu exploded from the fog behind her back, dragging his blade across the backs of her thighs and eliciting a hideous shriek.

"Hey, save some o' that freak for us, kiddo!" Ukyo hollered as she bounded into the fray, drawing her combat spatula and proceeding to beat the rokurokubi about the face and neck. "Try an' take a bite outta _my_ Shin-kun, will ya? CHEW ON THIS, BITCH!" She swung hard and caught the demon with an overhead strike hard enough to slam its face to the ground, sprang away, breathed hard… and suddenly blushed at what she'd just said. _Did… did I just say… did I say he was MINE? Uh oh… an' I haven't even talked about anything with him yet…_

"**I'm not done yet… you little striplings!**" the woman groaned, pulling herself up. "**Mustn't let you through… not until… Lord Astaroth is ready!**"

"Yeah, well the next time you see your Lord, tell him he made a big mistake," Shingen snarled as he raised his right hand with three fingers extended. "KONPAKU KAKI BAKUHA!" White-gold ki engulfed his hand and shot forth like a lance, piercing through the kimono-clad demon's breast and continuing on, dispelling a great deal of the fog in its wake. The snake-necked woman squealed in agony and dropped to her knees, then burst into a cloud of white that spiraled up and disappeared into the fog.

Shingen let out a relieved sigh. "Not too fond of those demons, either- those snake-necks just love to toy around," he chuckled as he rolled up his tattered left sleeve and Konatsu bounded back out of the fog, sheathing his blade.

"Are you gonna be okay, Shin-kun? Looks like she bit ya pretty deep…" Ukyo trailed off, then looked at him with a hint of moisture in her eye. "You didn't have to do that, getting yourself hurt for my sake…"

"There wasn't time, she snuck up on us too fast for me to do much else." His hand glowed a soft yellow-gold as he passed his palm over the lacerations in his flesh, sealing them partway. "Armor took care of the worst of it, so I wasn't too worried… but armor aside, you think I was gonna let her just take a chunk out of either of you? Not bloody likely, Ucchan."

Ukyo flushed slightly. "Guess that's the third time you've saved my ass, sugar."

The taller man stood up and shrugged, giving her a slight wink. "Call it a habit, I guess." A nearby cough alerted the two of them to Konatsu's presence.

"So what happens now? Are there more of those beasts out there, and we just have to keep going through them?" the kunoichi remarked, a slight flush on his own face. _I guess it's true, she really does seem to have feelings for this man… first Ranma-sama, and now him. Guess I can't really compete if she's that attracted to… well, the manly type, even with the way she dresses and acts. But… she did say she considers me a good friend, and she was worried about me…_ The flush left his face and he straightened up. _And for right now, that's good enough for me. She's right, we can talk about this later._

"I really have no clue as to what else may be out there, but the others are headed for the school right now, and I'm in no mood to leave them high and dry!" A chorus of growls suddenly echoed through the fog, prompting Shingen to heft his naginata onto one shoulder and narrow his eyes. "Yep. There's more out there… and by the growls, I'm guessing Hell Hounds. This isn't going to be easy."

Ukyo reached up and gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "We kinda knew it wasn't gonna be easy goin' in; now that we're this far, I ain't backing out now."

"I can't say I understand all of this, but if I can help out, I will," Konatsu added, resting a hand on his sword. At that moment, the fog roiled and swept aside, revealing no less than two dozen of the grotesque Hell Hounds that had invaded Furinkan just days before. Smoke wafted from their sunken nostrils as each set of flaming red eyes fixed themselves on the prey before them. Konatsu blanched upon seeing them, but swallowed hard and settled into a ready- albeit shaky- stance; Ukyo did likewise while Shingen grasped his weapon in both hands, unlocking the blade's form once again.

More of the mutant canines began to wander in from the fog, their hissing barks adding to the growing noise permeating the roadway. One hound, about the size of a wild lion but without the mane, padded forward from the rest of the pack, saliva dripping from its fangs. It sniffed the air, then reared its head back and roared- and the pack surged forward like a tidal wave.

"You ready?" Shingen shouted over the pounding of clawed feet.

"Not really, but I ain't leaving ya!" Ukyo hollered back. Konatsu said nothing, but nodded, his eyes starting to narrow at the encroaching demons. Shingen nodded and spun his weapon in a figure-eight before drawing it back in a wide arc…

The Hell Hounds picked up speed, preparing to pounce…

…and the street erupted in violence as Shingen unleashed Karasuhebi's Chain Blade, ripping the front lines of the pack apart in a maelstrom of white light and thrashing blades. The weapon twisted and turned in a manner which would make a rhythmic gymnast proud, while its wielder turned and dived, driving his feet and the butt of the polearm into whatever Hell Hound was in reach. Konatsu unleashed his shuriken barrage once more, then leaped skyward and produced several rolls of red cloth from within his sleeves while Ukyo peppered the oncoming canines- literally- with packets of cayenne pepper and the last of her throwing spatulas. The 'peppered' demons whined and clawed at their eyes for an instant, then charged Ukyo- but quickly stumbled and fell over each other as Konatsu's bolts of cloth whipped through the air and snared their ankles, tying their forelegs up in rather decorative red bows. The kunoichi fell to the ground, plunging his sword into the back of one hound, then springing into a handstand to spin-kick two additional hounds across the face simultaneously.

The bows on the demons' feet weren't designed for strength, however, which quickly grew evident as the Hell Hounds ripped their bonds open with ease and lunged at Konatsu, which caused Ukyo to scream and jump into the fray herself, batting hound after hound aside until she reached… a blank spot on the pavement. A sweatdrop ran down her head as she realized he had darted under their legs and was _outside_ the pack, whereas she had just leaped _inside_. "Oh hell…"

She was just about to lose control and start swinging madly when the chain blade burst through the ranks of the pack, bursting five hounds like balloons; the next thing she knew, Shingen had charged into the midst of things like a raging bull and was pounding foe after foe with his fists, heels, and both ends of Karasuhebi. "Don't even think about it, you psycho bitches!" he bellowed, smashing one hound's face in with a Jinrai Tekken punch; another hound quickly lunged at him and pushed him to the ground, trying to snap and claw his face to ribbons, but Shingen's hiking boots shot up and punted the beast off, sending it crashing into several of its brethren. "Both of you, get close to me; I'm gonna end this right here and now!" An instant later, Ukyo and Konatsu had batted or slashed their nearest opponents away and had crouched next to Shingen, just as the Hunter fully extended his chain blade and began to spin the weapon in circles.

The blades began to gouge and score the pavement on all sides, and more than a few of the hounds was lacerated as the naginata spun faster and faster, whipping the air and fog into a frenzied dance. "Time for you dogs to go to sleep, then we're going after your master!" Shingen's eyes shifted from blue-green to vibrant gold; Ukyo and Konatsu stared, mouths agape, as an identical scintillating aura engulfed the thrashing blade that seemed to be spinning in a globe around the three of them. "Ikusen Yaiba no Teikiatsu Ultimate Form! RAGNAROK HURRICANE!" Ki shot through the distended blade with renewed ferocity- and the entire street was engulfed in a whirlwind of vacuum blades that tore through not only the Hell Hounds, but the pavement, sections of exposed brick wall, the base of two nearby lampposts and no less than five unattended garbage cans. Roars and screeches erupted from all directions as demon after demon was eviscerated by either the whirling blade-chain or the scything rushes of air it spawned. The din grew to an unimaginable frenzy, white particles permeating the air- and moments later, it had all died down.

Shingen stopped spinning his naginata, the blade retracting and re-molding into its normal spear shape. He lowered the weapon to one side, let out a satisfied sigh- and dropped to one knee, breathing hard. Ukyo and Konatsu glanced up and sprang to their feet, taking an arm each and propping the tall Hunter up.

Every last one of the hounds had been annihilated.

--------------------

A violet eye twitched. "It would appear our guests are being… entertained," Astaroth chuckled in an amused baritone. One hand moved in an arcane pattern ending in a sharp downward thrust, and the smile on his face faded somewhat.

"Though they seem to be dealing with our kin a tad too well. Quite tenacious, even those without Hunter blood…" The white-haired demon's brow furrowed. "Tenacious indeed. That Lost Boy _would_ have been the one to face off against Stonekin… and Yamashira seems to have gained another companion. Kurowashi's touch may be slipping."

His hand resumed its tracing motion in midair. "Still, it matters little." He cast his gaze on the circle several stories below him; the gaps in the outer rim were sealing quickly and fresh runes were emerging within the indigo light. "All is in readiness. Only a little longer; they'll be arriving just in time for Completion. And then…" He sneered. "Then Sagara and Saito will be mine." His hand stopped moving again as he stepped back and closed his eyes. "Hm. I wonder how the rest are faring…"

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 5/10/06: I apologize for being late with this update, but things have been hectic with me recently. Work events plus a family crisis pushed things back considerably, and it took me a while to get back into gear, writing-wise. I'll try to get back into the swing of things, but I can't promise anything. Due to recent events, I sometimes won't have much choice but to be late on the update. I'll still try to shoot for once every 2-3 weeks, though. Thank you for your continued support, and keep sending those reviews in; they help give me inspiration and incentive.

_Kinbaku Gomu Iri Takisoba_- a special technique used by Ukyo, trapping the target with a thick rope of rubber noodles. Appeared in the manga during the fight with Tako.

_Happo Bijin Shuriken_- Eight Ways Beauty Shuriken, one of Konatsu's ranged attacks from the manga.

_Makoto Toku, Konpaku Kaki Bakuha, Ikusen Yaiba no Teikiatsu_- techniques described in previous chapters, used by Shingen.

The long-necked woman, as mentioned, is called a rokurokubi in Japanese folklore- whether they breathe fire or not is something I don't know. For the sake of this story, this one could.

The title of this chapter was borrowed from the name of the recent album released by the famed Britpop/alternarock virtual band, **_Gorillaz_**. I rather like some of their music. Thanks again for stopping by and reading; hopefully you'll come back and read some more. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	40. No Holding Back

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. We now return to our story in progress.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 40: No Holding Back

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Taro's eyes snapped open. He blinked twice and sat bolt upright, then just as quickly flinched as a stinging sensation darted across his chest. _What the… what's going on? Where did that pain come from…_ He breathed out slowly, lifting a hand to his chest and noticing his dragonscale armor had been removed; it lay to one side and a light gauze wrap was covering a section of his pectorals. He prodded the bandaged area, wincing once before stopping. _It feels like…_ A moment later, memories started to replay themselves in his mind and his expression shifted from confused to very, very angry.

"That white-haired bastard." His fists clenched and he gritted his teeth almost hard enough to break a crown. "He… he actually _killed_ that old lecher… good gods, he tried to kill me too!"

He heard a groan and glanced up, finally taking in where he was. Across the room, Soun lay asleep, head tossing back and forth with occasional whimpering pleas for his daughters' safety. Genma sat against the wall, slowly binding his ankle with gauze and shaking his head, but otherwise seemed oblivious to Taro's wakened state. He heard voices from the outer halls, two young girls' voices and a gravely, matronly tone he recognized quickly. One girl sounded to be excessively worried about her 'sweetie' being out in the mist and possibly getting lost, while the other girl and the ancient Amazon were trying to calm her and cook something at the same time.

"Child, all we can do is wait. This is something they need to take care of themselves; even I would only be a burden to them at this point." A pause, and a clattering of cookware. "I know, Granny, but I still wish I could know Ryoga's safe! I could have sent Katsunishiki to follow him…"

"And let the big pig fall to the mercy of those freaks outside," the other girl, the mercenary Tendo, interjected. "Look, I know how worried you are, but it's going to be okay. After all…" A half-hearted laugh. "My future brother-in-law's with 'em. They'll be back, sooner or later."

"So… fem-boy's out chasing after ivory-hair right now, is he." Taro's eyes narrowed and he pushed himself up to his feet, ignoring the residual pain from where Astaroth's sword had struck. _Damn that man… I let him sweet-talk me into teaming up against Happosai. Old pervert though he was, I didn't want that man DEAD! I wanted to make him suffer… give me my new name, then I could toy with him for all the years I spent being laughed at because of the name HE gave me, but that white-hair up and slaughters him instead! Tries to kill ME! Smashes up everything around here and just takes off!_ He grabbed his armor and pulled it over his chest, spinning on one heel towards the shoji doors. "That ivory-hair's going to pay for this… assuming I can find him before fem-boy does."

He snapped the door open and slipped outside before Cologne even had a chance to return to the room. Once outside, he grimaced at the swath of fog that still swaddled the backyard, then darted through the near-invisible ki barrier around the house- passing a snoozing sumo pig in the process- jumped to the top of the wall and scanned the darkened skies in all directions. "Heh. That's got to be it," he sneered as he caught sight of the purplish flare in the distance, just beyond a section of town that was blanketed in pitch-black shadow. He dropped lightly to the ground, turned, and very nearly ran smack dab into someone running in the opposite direction.

"HEY! Why don't you watch where you're going, you big ox!"

Taro's eyes narrowed instantly, his focus zeroing in on the young man who had skidded to a halt in front of him. "Why don't _I_ watch where _I'm_ going? I think you'd best ask yourself that question instead," he growled at the camo-clad teen. "And who are you to call me an ox, for that matter?"

Ryu bristled. "I _was_ watching where I was going, you're the one who jumped in my path! So just watch it, buddy!"

"I'm not so sure I like the tone of your voice, army-boy…"

"Yeah, well I'm not too fond of your tone either. Now get out of my way, I've got some business to attend to!"

"_Excuse me_?"

"Gentlemen, please!" Both men blinked and halted their mutual staredown long enough to turn towards the black-haired gymnast in the tattered remains of a school uniform and a leotard. "I do believe we have more pressing matters than arguing over who impeded who, do we not? With this vile fog and its equally vile denizens all about, such a trifle could surely be saved for a later time, correct?"

Taro snorted. "And who are you to be telling me what to do, girl?"

Kodachi's eye twitched, but she let the comment slide without further ado. "I am not _telling_ you to do anything, sir, I merely wish to point out that there is much afoot far greater than some silly argument between men!" She turned to Ryu, brushing her hair away from her face. "As you said yourself, we do have business to attend to, Kumon-san. Would it not be best to see to that first, rather than exacerbate something which is rather inconsequential at best?" She paused, then blinked in surprise. _Great Kami… I just gave those two a piece of advice I ignored for so many years. Oh, the irony of it all…_

Ryu shook his head. "Well… as much as I hate to admit it, you do have a point, Miss Kodachi." He squared his shoulders and turned to face Taro again, his eyes still steely. "As I was about to say, the two of us have business at the Tendo estate, and we just spent a considerable amount of time being harassed, poked, slashed at, and otherwise assaulted by the pack of freaks that's swarming around in that fog. I'm tired, and frankly I'm fed up with the surprises, so I didn't really appreciate you landing two feet from my face with no warning. Now just let me by so I can take care of business with Ranma Saotome and _then_ I'll come back and we can sort this out."

"That reminds me, you never did tell me what business you had with Ranma," Kodachi mused. "I do hope you aren't planning to attack him or the family; I still have to make amends with those I have wronged, and that includes him and his chosen fiancée."

Taro's expression changed from irked to confused, then amused. "Well, whatever business it is you have with Saotome and that short-haired girl of his, it'll have to wait. They're not here."

Ryu's eyes widened. "They're _what_?"

"They're not here? But where else could they possibly be?" Kodachi glanced up and down the street, but the fog and distant demon laughter provided no answers.

"Oh, right about now they're probably off in the distance preparing to beat the crap out of everything in that blasted fog," Taro chuckled humorlessly. "Which is where I was headed before _you_ ran into me; one of the beings behind all this crap just tried to…"

"They went _into_ that mist?" Kodachi's eyes practically bulged out of her skull. "Ranma and Miss Tendo… they… they purposely went out to fight those beasts? Alone?"

"I wouldn't exactly say alone; there was at least one other person with them, carries a straight-bladed naginata. Tried to dispatch the white-haired son of a bitch who did _this_ to me," Taro grumbled, fingering the section of his armor where Astaroth had cut him. "Didn't actually do anything of note, but from the sound of things…"

"Great. I finally get back to Nerima and not only is it full of mist and goblins, but Saotome isn't even around to answer to me." Ryu reached up and roughly tightened his headband. "What's he up to, more glory-seeking?"

"That might not be part of the bargain." Taro glanced up at the blazing sky in the distance. "I distinctly remember hearing him say he was going to kill that ivory-hair before I passed out."

Kodachi gasped. "You can't be serious… _killing_ somebody? That hardly makes sense…" She bit back the phrase _Ranma-sweetums_ before it managed to escape her lips. "_Ranma_ would never go so far as to _kill_ anyone!"

"Yeah, well I'd hardly call this ivory-hair _anyone_, miss," Taro replied coolly. He shook his head and proceeded to give the two of them a brief but well-detailed summary of everything that had happened- meeting the man claiming to have grievance with Happosai, being talked into tagging along, up to and including all Hell breaking loose at the Tendos. And with each recollection, Taro's face grew more agitated; his right fist was clenched so tight his fingernails drew blood.

By the time he was detailing Astaroth's departure with his hostages, Ryu's mouth had dropped open and Kodachi was on the verge of turning white. "Like I said, seems like ivory-hair's the alpha wolf of all these goddamned demons…" Taro paused and swung around, driving his elbow into the face of an imp that had lunged out of the fog, breaking its nose and sending it flying. "He played me for a patsy, and fem-boy had the gall to leave me behind."

"I… I don't believe it," Kodachi stammered. "Someone like… like _that_… is manipulating eldritch forces to subjugate this ward, and Ranma is out there fighting him _alone_?"

"I didn't say he was alone; that short-haired girl Akane went with him, apparently."

Kodachi waved him off. "Yes, well, she may have improved somewhat in her skills, but I'd hardly say that qualifies as sufficient battlefield assistance!" She squared her shoulders and procured her ribbon seemingly from nowhere. "Moreover, I did not come all this way to make amends to a pair of graves, which is what may be the case if those two dare to face the denizens of Hell alone! Whither did they venture?"

Taro gaped. "You can't be serious, girl…"

"I believe she is serious, buddy," Ryu growled, his eyes narrowing. "She was pretty bent on coming here after we sort of 'crashed' into each other; I can tell by her eyes." He turned and looked Taro straight in the face. "And I'm not about to be left out of this, either."

Taro quirked an eyebrow. "Dare I ask why?"

"Simple. I love a good fight. And I've got a point of my own to prove with Saotome; this might be just as good a time as any." Part of Ryu was thinking, _I do him a favor and he'll be obligated to reciprocate_, but another part of him- which he didn't dare vocalize- held genuine concern for one of the two people reportedly abducted by the white-haired man. It was hard for him to forget the affection Nodoka had shown him during his masquerade as Ranma, and the fact that she could be in trouble had struck a chord in him.

Taro, for his part, didn't care about the hostages or even whether Ranma really needed any help. He was in the mood to brawl. "Look, do whatever you want, I really don't care, but the longer we keep talking the longer it'll take us to get around to whatever we want to do." He snapped his hand behind his back and procured a canteen from a loop in his pantyhose 'belt'. "If you want in on this mess, fine. But we'd better get moving, and I'm not planning on taking the slow way."

A moment later, he had upended the canteen over his head and was rewarded by two sets of jaws dropping again. Beast-Taro snorted and suppressed a bovine grin. _Heh. That certainly got their attention._

--------------------

"Aiyah… where everybody go? We not on same road, and it still too, too dark!" Shampoo tightened her grip on her weapons as she scoured the area frantically with her eyes; she and her fellow Amazon had landed smack in the middle of a vacant lot lined with shadow walls on all sides, save two small passages on either end. Unearthly cackles continued to waft through the openings in the black partitions, and a second later imps began boiling out of the mist on either side.

"I think there's someone who's having a lot of fun at our expense," Mousse groused as he whipped his arms outward, firing a volley of weighted chains into the faces of the oncoming demonkin. "And I'll bet you Saotome and the rest are in much the same shape as us!"

Shampoo grunted in agreement as several lesser oni lunged at her and tried to claw her tunic off, but she promptly countered with three quick bonbori swipes and a reverse roundhouse that sent all her attackers reeling. "This no good if Brother Ranma and Sister Akane all alone, with stupid beasts that try grope _them!_" A squat blob of blackness with yellow eyes burbled out of the fog; she promptly boomeranged one bonbori off what passed for its head, smashing it to powder.

"My thoughts exactly, my dear Shampoo; we'd better get out of here and find the others if we can!" Mousse spun his weighted chains in several wide arcs, bludgeoning half a dozen airborne imps into oblivion before retracting said chains and producing his combat claws. Shampoo, for her part, didn't seem to mind being called his 'dear', but smirked and pulled close to him so they were back-to-back. Another cadre of lesser demons swarmed the duo, and they sprang into action, slashing, bashing and kicking the offenders as quickly as possible. The two of them turned in tandem, then sprang sideways into the air, towards one of the gaps in the shadow walls- the gap situated in the direction of the eldritch bonfire at Furinkan.

"Shampoo, look out below!" Mousse shouted as two large serpentine oni slithered out of the mist directly beneath them, jaws open to reveal rows of glistening fangs. Shampoo's eyes widened, but she recovered in time and twisted in midair, slamming her left-hand bonbori into the maw of the snake. The snake bit hard, then winced as its tongue brushed the pentagram warding Shingen had scribed on the weapon; Shampoo rotated as she descended, clocking the beast on the side of the head with her other weapon before planting her feet on its back and releasing her weapons. Her right hand shot up, and with a vicious kiai, shot back down again behind the snake's head, breaking its spine.

Mousse, for his part, chose a different line of attack. As he descended, he pulled himself into a ball, keeping his eyes locked on the serpent rearing to strike him. The demon coiled, then lunged upwards- and Mousse promptly shot both feet outwards, sporting his concealed hawk-talon shoes. "INCHUA CHUAN!" The shoes caught the serpent right across the nose just as Mousse shifted his weight and began to fall alongside the demon, rather than into its mouth. As he fell, he left a series of horrific gashes along the back of said demon, with the end result that it fell to the ground and began bucking in agony while he recovered and re-hid his talons.

"This getting to be too much!" Shampoo pouted, reclaiming her weapons. "We go now, right, Mousse?"

"No argument from me. The sooner we get out, the better."

"**Well, now… I'm terribly sorry, but I'm not going to let you go so soon.**"

The two Amazons froze as a menacing basso voice echoed through the vacant lot. Their eyes darted from one side to the other, unable to make out little more than black walls and the mist- and they quickly realized the other demons weren't in the lot any longer. A worried look passed between them… and a second later, the ground behind them exploded as black chains burst from the shadows, tearing the dying serpent-oni to shreds before twisting in midair and heading straight for both their heads. Shampoo shrieked and twisted away, just as Mousse flung his arm out and covered her head, bringing both of them to the ground. The chains missed their heads by mere centimeters, then lurched upward and snapped back into the shadows from whence they came.

A rumble of basso laughter caught their ears. Mousse glanced up, one arm still hovering protectively over Shampoo's shoulders, and found his eyes locked with the glowing vermillion eyes of Kurowashi. The massive Tengu stood directly before them, wings extended on either side, blocking off the path that ostensibly led 'out'.

"YOU!" Mousse growled, his tone turning glacial.

"Me," the demon replied with a light nod. "I take it, then, you recognize my face, Muu Tsu?"

The weapon master nodded slowly. "Yeah… yeah, I do. I saw it once before, that day… the day I almost…"

"Died." Kurowashi unfolded his arms and flexed each finger in turn; the silver chains adorning his forearms clinked almost musically. "Had it not been for your Hunter friends intervening, you most likely would have died. More's the pity you didn't."

"What?" Shampoo snapped to attention and pulled herself to her feet. "If that joke, Shampoo no think it very funny!"

"I wasn't trying to be funny, little girl." The Tengu paused, then bowed to Mousse mockingly. "Though you have my thanks, boy. You made for quite a handy host- I didn't even need to pull your strings, you acted as hoped with little to no prodding required. Just as I had hoped."

"SHUT UP! I am nobody's puppet!"

"Oh, but you are… with the proper motivation, you were an ideal candidate to harass Sagara's heir and keep him and Saito's heir from finding peace. All for the sake of your 'beloved' Xian Pu." The demon raised his right hand and pointed a finger at Mousse. "But more than that, you were marked by Yoko after your first failed encounter with Saotome- you became the ideal vessel for me, much like the others. But _unlike_ the others, I at least had the sense to lay low, wait until the time was right. Unlike Sumire- who dwelled in your precious little lady there- I knew enough not to draw attention to my presence. Especially in the vicinity of latent Hunters.

"_That_ is why it was your life energies, and _not_ mine, that released Lord Astaroth's final seal." His hand clenched and an avian grin crossed his beak. "Yet you remain alive. And Satan knows I just _hate_ leaving loose ends."

"Enough talking, stupid bird-man!" Shampoo barked, glaring daggers at Kurowashi and brandishing her weapons. "Get out of way! Ranma and others in trouble, and is bad enough we in stupid black-wall place!"

"And I certainly have no intention of being regarded as a 'loose end' to anybody!" Mousse drew his arms inward, crouched and lunged forward. "Try this on for size, demon filth! ARMS CAVALCADE!" His arms snapped out and no less than a dozen weapons of varying sizes and styles burst from his sleeves, each one trailed by a chain, ribbon, rope or some other form of lanyard. Kurowashi blinked, then narrowed his eyes and swung his arms about, deflecting or dodging most of the projectiles; some merely nicked a feather or two on his wings, while at least two short blades got trapped in the chains on his forearms. The Tengu pulled back, and the slack between the two fighters quickly vanished, replaced by a tug-of-war on Mousse's armaments.

"You foolish boy. I may have spent the majority of my time lying dormant within your curse, but I know full well that trick of yours." His arms flexed and Mousse found himself dragged forward a few inches. "And I'm rather handy with chains myself. Now… come here!" Eyes gleamed a menacing red, and the demon yanked on the multiple lanyards as hard as he could.

"You want those weapons so bad? You can have them!" Mousse shot back as a sly grin crossed his face. He twisted his arms, and suddenly the connection broke. Every single chain, rope or ribbon snapped free of his sleeves, hurtling into the face of a suddenly-startled Tengu. The demon's red eyes widened as another fact quickly presented itself- each line was attached, at the other end, to a fuse bomb or a stick of dynamite that just happened to have a lit fuse. A second later, they had fallen into his arms. The second after that, they detonated, engulfing the demon in a cloud of black smoke.

Shampoo stared, then slowly grinned. "Aiyah… never see that move before! When you learn do that, Mousse?"

"It's nothing," he replied with a grin. "Just something I whipped up when I…" A movement in the smoking patch of ground caught his eye, and he trailed off.

"Clever. Very clever, little boy. But the fun's only just beginning."

A volley of silver chain exploded from the smoke, catching Mousse across the left shoulder and knocking him backwards. Shampoo gasped, her eyes snapping back just in time to see two identical steel lengths hurtling towards her; she ducked underneath one, jumped up and used the second as a stepping stone to propel her skyward. She twisted and was about to hurl a bonbori into the cloud of smoke, when a hard object caught her squarely between the shoulder blades and sent her crashing to the ground. Mousse grunted in pain and sprang to his feet just in time to see her land- and also see Kurowashi striding out of the bomb crater, with little more than a few singed feathers and a mild burn on his avian face.

"If you thought a few incendiary bombs were going to faze me, I fear you're sorely mistaken." He raised his hand in a sharp gesture, and several parts of the wall surrounding the lot swelled and distended. Mousse gasped as two black chains abruptly burst from the walls, smashing into the ground and forming an X in front of the passage leading out. "Shall we dance?"

Mousse's eyes caught Shampoo as she groaned and struggled to her knees, one hand clutching her shoulder, and a fire seemed to ignite within him. His hand flew to his double scabbard, closing around the hilts of his twin blades. "Dance, nothing. You hurt someone very dear to me… so I'm going to hurt you _tenfold_ for that!"

"Mousse… no get carried away, Shampoo not hurt too bad," the violet-haired Amazon gasped.

"Well, now… this may prove interesting after all." The Tengu spread his wings, and in an instant, the battle commenced.

Silver chains shot hither and yon across the lot, like snakes under a charmer's spell. A twist of the forearm was all Kurowashi needed to send multiple steel whips spiraling in Shampoo's direction; the stunned Amazon quickly shook off the bruises across her back and dove to one side, grabbed her bonbori and spun around in time to see the chains almost upon her again. She batted them away, ducked low under a third length and doubled back, racing towards the demon with alacrity. The beast, who had sent Mousse on the defensive with a similar volley from his other arm, merely swung his hand in a tight arc and cleaved the ground in front of him with the same chains Shampoo had avoided; she barely had time to skid to a halt and spring away. As she did, fine lines appeared across her tunic- followed by the cloth tearing away in places, leaving a tattered shirt that barely covered her breasts. Her eyes widened and she glanced up in disbelief.

"Quite a nimble minx, aren't you," Kurowashi snickered. "You'd have been torn to shreds otherwise."

"How DARE you!" Mousse bobbed and weaved between the chains assaulting him and drew the Sun and Moon swords with one hand, striking two lengths simultaneously. A vicious clash echoed through the lot as the thin steel blades severed Kurowashi's weapon, followed by the former duck-boy shifting one sword to his off-hand and lunging forward. The Tengu sneered and followed suit, firing a volley of chains from his left arm, but the Amazon weapon master was not deterred. He twirled about the offending lengths with an ease that astounded Shampoo, darted low, feinted to the right, then swung up with his left-hand sword. The Tengu's left arm swung out, colliding with the Sun Sword and deflecting it down; Mousse spun with the deflection and lashed out with the Moon Sword, cutting a fine gash across the demon's upper bicep. Kurowashi's eyes widened- and the tall Amazon continued spinning, slashing again with both swords in turn, cutting a section of the demon's trouser leg before he had a chance to leap skyward and spread his wings wide.

"Interesting." The demon flinched as a trickle of white ichor ran down his arm. "You're more dexterous than I remember. Perhaps I should have watched you more often, boy." He shook off the pain and glared menacingly at the pair beneath him. "You may have managed to wound me, but you shall not succeed a second time."

"Why don't you come down here and say that, you filth!"

Kurowashi snorted. "As you wish." He twisted in midair, dipped- and dived at an impossibly high speed, flattening out and skimming mere inches above the ground. Mousse flinched and tried to leap over the beast, but had barely gotten a few feet off the ground when his ankle was snared by a massive black fist. He quickly found himself being dragged through the air, then thrown with terrific force at the nearest object in his path- which happened to be Shampoo- and an instant later, the two Amazons found them sprawled on the ground, one on top of another, the wind briefly knocked out of them.

A groan of pain quickly brought Mousse back to his senses; propping himself on his hands, he glanced down and took in the sight of Shampoo clutching her stomach, her clothing barely hanging off her shoulders. He noticed a faint tear at the corner of her eye, and something broke inside him. He had hurt her. Not on purpose or directly, but he had been the one to knock her down. "Oh, gods… Shampoo, are you okay?"

Her eyes opened as she sucked in a sharp breath. "Is nothing… hurt worse than this, many times before," she coughed.

"Do you understand now, boy?" The sound of heavy footsteps echoed close behind Mousse as Kurowashi drew closer. "You're putting up a valiant effort, but in the end it all adds up to nothing." The beast cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to enjoy putting you out of your misery… and you won't lack company. I'll be sending that pretty one to join you soon enough."

With those words, Mousse's self-control and long-ingrained restraint finally snapped.

"You… will… not… harm… her… AGAIN!" His voice took on the qualities of a roar as he leaped to his feet and barreled towards the massive demon, sword in each hand. Once again, Kurowashi sent his chains dancing, but Mousse defiantly danced about them as though they were stationary, leaping to the left and then lunging right before swinging his blades in wide arcs. Sparks flew as steel clashed on steel, and the Tengu's eyes widened as several more broken links went flying. He jerked his arm and whipped around to smack Mousse across the face, but the youth was no longer there- five lengths of chain instead collided heavily with his white robe, which fell to the ground with a heavy thud and multiple clanks. The beast had little time to stare before a bare-chested Amazon male sprang into his face and began slashing with a vengeance. Chain-covered forearms shot out to deflect the blows, and for long seconds the two hacked and punched at each other at blinding speed, eventually leaping apart into defensive crouches. Shampoo gasped as she rolled into a sitting position; she could see several large bruises on Mousse's arms and one on his chest, while Kurowashi sported multiple gashes across both arms and one over his left eye. Both were breathing hard, Mousse harder than the demon.

"It would appear… you've become… somewhat faster than I remember," Kurowashi spat. "Perhaps I should have observed you more often than I did."

"It wasn't that hard… once I dropped… some of my excess weight," Mousse shot back, fire burning in his eyes as he gestured to his discarded robe. "Now… let's end this, you bastard."

"Mousse, stop!" Shampoo cried. "Bird-man too strong for you alone!" She leapt to her feet and retrieved her bonbori with shaking hands. The demon glanced at her, and started to laugh.

"She has a point, you know. But I agree with you, whelp. It is time we ended this." He thrust his hands out, fixing his fingers in an arcane pattern. "Maboroshi Ryu. _Shadow Cell._" Pure darkness began to boil out of his hands, dripping to the ground. Mousse's eyes narrowed and he turned his head, calling for Shampoo to run; she, in turn, shook off his warnings, calling him a 'stubborn boy' as she darted closer… and suddenly, the blackness was not merely confined to the walls around the lot. Nor was it more shadow chains leaping from nowhere, catching them across the back.

The darkness was everywhere. Neither Amazon could see anything, save themselves. There was no light anywhere to be found.

"You may have had your eyes cured, boy." The Tengu's voice echoed throughout the void, from all directions at once. "I fear, though, they will not serve you here. You see… shadow is, and always has been, my ally." A hard blow caught Mousse across the face, sending him stumbling back. "In this shadow cell, you won't be able to see anything… and much like the Shadow Maze, you won't be able to sense battle auras, either." There was a rushing sound, then a hard smack; Shampoo cried out. Mousse heard her knees hit the ground and turned to find her, but was quickly belted in the midsection by another unseen hand.

"Damn you… you m-monster…" His grip on the Sun and Moon Blades tightened and he swung out in front of him.

"Yes, I'm a monster." The laughter began to increase. "How does it feel, being stripped of your eyes yet again, little boy? Does it make you feel… useless?" A rush of air and Mousse grunted as he was chopped across the back of the knee. He bit back the pain and stood back up again, swords held low at the ready. "Do you feel trapped? Unable to do anything? Unable even to save the girl of your dreams?" He heard a chain rattle, felt the projectile slam his shoulder, but he refused to budge. "If you want to save her and yourself, you'd best strike back fast, boy." A more distant rattle, and Mousse cringed as Shampoo screamed, lifted into the air by unseen hands.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Mousse continued to stand stock-still, his face contorting every time he took a blow or heard Shampoo cry out. He felt one chain- metal, not a molded shadow, he guessed- fly close to him and flay him across his bare chest, felt the blood running down across his stomach. His eyes screwed shut tighter than before, and the grip on his swords was knuckle-whitening. "Hmph. Looks like you've consigned yourself to fate, boy. How very… boring." There was a rush of air…

The Sun Blade in Mousse's left hand began to scintillate with an inner glow…

A faint tremor passed through the ground beneath his feet, and his eyes snapped open. There was a flash of steel, a gasp…

The light from the sword spread outward, pushing back the shadows and revealing the blade to be jammed deep into the Tengu's belly. Kurowashi stared down as white fluid began running down the blade. "How… that can't be possible… how in Satan's name did you…"

"You might have robbed me of sight briefly," said Mousse dangerously. "But you're forgetting I lived without real sight for a long, _long_ time. And yes, you might've made it impossible to sense battle aura. But, guess what? Just because you blinded me didn't make me deaf and dumb as well. Little word of advice- don't flap your wings so much, or tread so heavily. Took me longer, but I still found you in the end."

"YOU PARASITE!" Kurowashi swung a massive fist at Mousse's head and twisted backwards, ripping himself off the blade just as the remaining pool of darkness burst away; a glance upward and Mousse blanched at the sight of Shampoo stripped nearly naked, suspended in midair from the chains on Kurowashi's right arm. She twisted and yanked against the offending items, but they stuck fast to her skin- up until Mousse twirled through the air and slashed through the chains like paper streamers. He caught her in mid-descent and laid her gently on the ground before turning his attention back to the Tengu. Shampoo regained a grip on one of her weapons, threw an extremely dirty look at the demon in question- and the two of them charged simultaneously.

More chains erupted from the beast's arms, but this time both Amazons' tempers had reached their limit and the resulting adrenaline rush turned them into wild dervishes. Shampoo used the nearest chain as a springboard, leaping from one to another, until she had nearly reached Kurowashi's arm. She jumped up just as he gestured harshly, then twisted her body just in time to avoid a shadow chain bursting from one of the walls around the lot. Using her momentum, she whipped her arm out and clocked the Tengu across the face with her bonbori just as Mousse sprang at him from the other side. The beast gestured again, causing multiple chains to burst from the ground beneath, but somehow they didn't seem to get anywhere near Mousse as he ducked in, both swords now glowing gold and blue, respectively. Kurowashi lashed out viciously with his fists, spreading his wings as he prepared to take to the skies…

…an instant later, the golden Sun Blade had gouged a furrow through his chest. He reared his head back to scream- just as the silver-blue Moon Blade cut a line across his throat. The beast gurgled and staggered back, clutching at his wounds as white ichors poured to the ground.

Mousse let out a long breath. "Shampoo… I'm sorry I didn't catch him sooner; will you be okay?"

She looked up and giggled. "I be fine once we out of here. No need to worry, Mousse…" She rested one hand on his bruised forearm. "You be okay too, right?"

He flinched slightly at her touch, then relaxed. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Shampoo didn't say anything in response, but nodded. _You always say so, Mousse… but still risk self too much. You no have to do that now. Not now…_ She blushed, noting his current lack of shirt, forgetting for a moment her own shredded clothing. _Shampoo think you holding back on me, Mousse… I never know you become so fast!_

The two of them pulled themselves off the ground and turned towards the pathway out, noting the shadow-chain barrier had fallen away. As they did, they failed to notice Kurowashi collapsing to his knees, falling sideways towards the shadows that reached up to engulf him. The blackness swirled around the bleeding Tengu, pulling at him, encasing him… and just as quickly disappearing, along with him. There was nothing else left within the lot.

--------------------

_Where… where am I? What just happened?_

Akane's eyes snapped open as she realized she was lying on a hard, smooth surface. Her arms felt like she'd been wrenched about by a rope or binding of some sort- _just like one of those other times when I got kidnapped,_ she thought sourly to herself- and moreover, the space around her felt conspicuously empty. It was something she had become more aware of in recent times; ever since her training in aura manipulation at the warehouse, Akane had begun to note the auras of people in her near vicinity, even when she wasn't actively trying to sense anything. At that moment, she couldn't feel any aura she recognized, which in itself sent a chill up her spine.

"Ranma?" She propped herself up on all fours and looked up, taking in the fact that she wasn't on the road they'd been traveling, and was instead in a dark alley with pitch-black shadows filling up every crevice, window and doorway. "Shingen? Ryoga? Ukyo? Anybody?" She shook her head and stood up slowly, dropping into the loose fighting stance she'd been practicing with Ranma. She felt the weight of the Saito wakizashi on her back and was tempted to draw it out, but for the most part she couldn't see any imps or other oni anywhere near her.

"This is so not good." Her eyes darted in all directions, trying to get a lock on anything that looked familiar, but the clouds of mist that continued to boil through the alley impeded her vision. "Can't see anyone, can't feel anything… Kami, I didn't want this to happen, I don't want to be alone, not now…" She gritted her teeth and opened her mind to the Astral, reaching out with all her might. _Ranma! Ranma, where'd you go? Where is everyone…_ Faint buzzing sounds echoed in her mind's ear, a sound reminiscent of static, but she waved it off and probed again. _Ranma, can you hear me? HELP ME!_

For three long seconds, she felt nothing but emptiness from the Astral. Her shoulders began to sag; she began to think the blackness had swallowed everyone up, leaving only her behind, when something happened. The static in her mind died away, and a distant, distorted voice touched her mind. _…know Acchan's voice anywhere! Acchan! Where are you?_

_He heard me!_ Akane's heart picked up speed and her eyes brightened. She began to run, searching for a recognizable landmark and hoping she was heading in his direction. _I… I don't know. It looks like I'm still in town, but there's black walls everywhere!_ She tried to push the panic out of her mind, repeating to herself that she could at least hear him, so things _had_ to be working out. _I don't see anyone else, I can't even feel much of… of…_

"So here you are, little Akane-chan. Lost and all alone, no one to rescue you now, is there?"

Akane's eyes widened and she drummed her feet to a halt. Standing in the midst of the abruptly thinning fog was the girl in the purple bodysuit, one hand on her hip and another toying with her ebony hair. Violet eyes gleamed maniacally as Yoko's smile spread from ear to ear. "It's dangerous to wander back alleys at night, girl. You could get… hurt."

Akane took a step backward and fell into a ready stance, but failed to hide the renewed panic in her own eyes. _Oh… oh, no. It's that… that lackey of his is right in front of… Ranma, where are you? Please!_

"You have no idea how much fun it's been observing you all this time, sweetie," Yoko purred as she stepped forward casually, flicking a lock of hair with an extended claw. "I put an _awful_ lot into trying to keep you and your _dear_ fiancé apart. It wasn't easy, you know. And difficult to keep an eye on you at all times… but the times I was watching you? Priceless." The demon-girl stopped and her smile disappeared. "Yet even after all I did, you two still kept coming back to one another. Even with all your denials of your feelings, you and him… inseparable." She flicked the fingers of her left hand, extending all five claws at once. "I don't like that."

"Yeah? Well I'm not terribly keen on having someone else try and tell me what to do with my life!" Akane shot back in a trembling voice. "You think I'm some kind of toy for you to mess with or something? Or that Ranma is?" _Speaking of which, I hope to Kami he gets here soon…_

A voice in her mind's ear startled her, but managed to calm her nerves a fraction. _Don't worry, Acchan… I'm on my way. But you're gonna have to guide me. Just hang on…_ She felt something reaching out through the static, struggling to reach her; instinctively, she reached back with her mind and felt something take hold- or more appropriately, someone take hold. A warm feeling pulsed through her and the trembling in her hands subsided.

"Let me put it to you this way, _girl,_" Yoko snapped, "your Hunter kindred aren't the only ones aware of the dormant power of your clan and Saotome's. Astaroth-sama has been watching for a long time- even during his imprisonment, when I acted as his eyes- and it has long been his wish that such power _not_ return to the world." She lifted a finger and ran her tongue along a claw sensuously. "It would have been so much easier and quicker if you had driven him away or destroyed him with your own hand. But, then again… if you'd done that, I wouldn't be able to indulge in the ecstasy of killing you now."

"You just try it, bitch." Akane shifted her stance, pulling into one of her traditional hard-style Kempo stances. "Shampoo tried to erase my memory or kill me several times, Kodachi tried to kill me, somebody in China almost succeeded, but I'm still here. You think you can do better?" _You say you watched me, but not all the time? Let's just hope you still think I'm the same old Akane I was a year ago, then._

"Oh, I know I can do better. Especially with this glorious new body Astaroth-sama granted me." Yoko twirled on one foot, flaunting her curves with a wicked smile. "But I'm beginning to grow tired of this talk, you sexless little girl. Shall we get this over with?"

Akane flinched the very second the word 'sexless' left Yoko's lips. "SHUT UP!" she screamed as she crouched for an instant, then lunged forward, trying to drive her left fist through Yoko's abdomen. The devilgirl sidestepped at the last instant, grinning as Akane continued past her.

"You may be a bit faster, girl, but you're just as short-fused as ever." Yoko twisted and executed a blindingly fast side snap kick at Akane's face- but the face was not there. Yoko's grin dimmed as she felt a hand impact her ankle, her eyes widened as her balance faltered, and the next second she was airborne as Akane flung her across the darkened alley towards the nearest wall. She twisted in mid-flight, planting both hands and feet on the vertical surface and narrowed her eyes on her opponent.

"Lesson three of the Saotome school. Lose your cool and you lose the fight," Akane retorted with a smug look.

"Interesting… I wasn't expecting that out of you, girl." Her claws retracted and a reddish light flashed in her violet irises. "Perhaps I should have watched you more closely!" Yoko promptly dropped to the ground and sprang at Akane, feinted right, then left before swinging up with a knife-hand strike aimed at Akane's neck. Akane parried the blow and twisted with the motion, aiming a reverse roundhouse kick at the demon's back that caught her across the flank. The two separated, their motions carrying them to opposing sides of the streets, then bounded towards each other again. They met in midair and began a furious exchange of punches, jabs and palm strikes that brought a look of consternation to Yoko's face. The familiar anger in Akane's face was evident, but tempered by a coolness and level of control the former imp had not seen in the majority of her observations. _This is not good. The girl's been training, and somehow I wasn't able to discern it until now?_ She shook off her concern and quickly found a minute gap in Akane's own attacks; her right hand snapped out and the heel struck the young Tendo across the face, sending her reeling and breaking their exchange.

"It seems I've neglected to watch you as often as I should have," Yoko sneered. "Switching from hard style kempo to soft style at the last moment, eh? You've improved… a bit."

"I had a good teacher. And I'm just getting warmed up," Akane spat, shaking off the sting in her jaw and settling into a looser stance.

"Tough talk, girl. Let's see how well you can back it up." The demon raised her arms, fingernails extending into claws again before lunging to the side- and suddenly her form became a blur. Yoko darted in and began to slash and stab at Akane, who quickly found herself on full defense as she parried and sidestepped each attack in turn. In succession, she jumped away from a reverse slash aimed at her stomach, two jabs to her shoulder, then gasped as two clawed fingers came straight at her eyes. She bent backwards, the claws missing her by a centimeter, and Yoko suddenly found herself shaking her hand in pain as Akane continued the motion with a somersault kick to the fingers.

The pain didn't last long, and Yoko quickly renewed her attack, pressing Akane up against a brick wall and taking a vicious swipe that would have severed her jugular if Akane hadn't ducked and rolled away; the claws screeched across the bricks and tore four deep furrows into the wall. "You're really beginning to try my patience, girl. The longer you drag this out, the more painful it'll be when you _do_ die."

Akane scrambled to her feet and glared daggers at the imp-turned-Fury. "Sorry, but I'm not planning on going through that again just to please you!" She grabbed the hilt of the wakizashi on her back and pulled, drawing the sword into a ready position.

"Oh… finally decided to draw your clan blade, eh?" The girl's eyes glinted madly. "Good. Now we can have some _real_ fun." Yoko's form blurred again, covering the short distance between him almost faster than Akane could see. Akane blanched and swung the sword at the demon's neck, only to stare as the girl ducked beneath the path of the blade- and an instant later, the breath was knocked from her body as Yoko slammed her palm into her solar plexus.

--------------------

Ranma gasped as a wave of pain and panic hit him in mid-stride. _Oh geez… gotta move faster, but it's like walkin' through Jello in here!_ He silently cursed the shadows he had merged with and began moving as fast as the Umisen would allow him, pulled by the ki beacon that was penetrating the darkness. _Hang in there, 'kane, I'm coming…_

--------------------

Akane had dropped to one knee and was just getting her breath back when Yoko lunged again, trying to spear her throat. She dodged to the right and winced as two claws grazed her left shoulder; trails of blood began to trickle down her arm as she tumbled and got back to her feet. The devilgirl was already circling back around as Akane tightened her grip on the Saito blade, took a deep breath and lunged, slipping into the rapid-fire sword kata she and Ranma had practiced under Shingen's watch. Sparks flew as her first cut was intercepted and knocked aside by Yoko's claws, who pressed forward and executed several cuts of her own. Akane dipped and weaved, the awkwardness in her stance lessening as more of her recent training re-asserted itself. "You're pretty damn fast, but Ranma's faster than you are, creep!" She parried another claw strike and immediately counterattacked, making swift, precise cuts at Yoko's head, arms and chest- but the demon merely grinned and danced backwards, letting the sword pass dangerously close to her body yet never actually touching it.

"You're not so bad yourself, girl," she taunted, licking a retracted claw, "but if you can't even hit me, there's not much point to you using that sword, is there? You might as well throw it away and stick to what you know best- brute force, and little else." The wakizashi passed just above her shoulder, lightly grazing the skin and eliciting a trickle of white fluid- the demon stepped into the attack, hands shooting up- and Akane let out a strangled gasp as her right elbow was slammed by Yoko's palm, threatening to dislocate the joint. With her left hand, the demon pulled the arm in question, yanking Akane into an impromptu shoulder throw that sent her rolling across the ground until she collided with a nearby garbage can. Akane hissed and clutched her elbow in pain, the Saito sword still in her right hand.

"Admit it. You really are a helpless little wench, aren't you. Can't do a single thing without your precious Ranma to help you through it. Oh, but he's not here, is he?" A tendril of flame began to dance along the tattoos on Yoko's right forearm.

"Damn it, I'm not done fighting yet!" Akane snapped; a quick kip-up and she was back on her feet, a soft golden glow enveloping her arm for an instant. "And so what if I'm not as good as Ranma, that doesn't mean I can't do _anything_!" She snapped her leg out, caught the garbage can with her heel and sent it flying at Yoko's head. The demon snorted and tore the thing in half with a double claw swipe- and as the can fell apart, her eyes widened as Akane burst forward through the scattering rubbish and caught the devilgirl in the chin with a palm-strike uppercut. She quickly dropped low and followed through with a sweep kick that knocked Yoko's feet from beneath her, but before she could execute a follow-up cut, Yoko had planted her hands and backflipped several paces away. She crouched, pulled her right arm back, then thrust forward.

Akane's face went from determined to shocked as a stream of fire shot from Yoko's fingertips almost faster than the eye could see. The flames were practically upon her before she pushed herself to the right, desperately sidestepping the attack as best she could; she felt something impact her left arm, sensed the heat coursing along her skin, and knew she hadn't managed to evade the blast entirely. A weak gasp escaped her mouth as she staggered back, trying to hold her sword and clutch at her burned arm at the same time… and an instant later, more pain erupted as knuckles buried themselves in Akane's solar plexus. The punch knocked her against a nearby wall, and her eyes snapped open just in time to see a set of claws blazing towards her. Once again she twisted and rolled weakly away, but still felt the sting of shallow wounds opening across her right cheek and arm. She stumbled and dropped to one knee, tried to spring up again, failed, and drew herself into a weak defensive crouch, the physical pain fading as the pain of the devilgirl's name calling and denigration of her abilities began to dig at her.

"There. You see what I mean now, don't you. Get a little distracted, and your concentration falls all to pieces. Nobody around to help you; you can't even use that Hunter blade of yours properly. And now you're about to die, all alone." Yoko laughed mockingly, flicking the claws of her right hand. "Like mother, like daughter…"

**_You are not alone._**

Akane froze. The trembling in her body slowed and ceased as something began to spread throughout her… a warmth that pushed away the pinpricks of pain and doubt in much the way Ranma's Link had made her feel. _What… what was that? Ranma, is that you?_

**_The shadow slows him still, child. Yet he fights on to reach you. He will not be long… but his is not the only power that aids you. On the battlefield or at any other time, you are never alone. Even now, against this beast, you need not fight alone._**

She swallowed hard. The warmth continued to spread, and for the first time she noticed it seemed to be centered on her sword hand. The wakizashi was pulsing in her grip, echoing in harmony with her heartbeat. For an instant, she thought she heard the distant growl of a tiger. _But how? What am I supposed to do? I've been trying to beat her with what I learned, but I can't get enough opening to hit her hard! And Ranma kept saying all along I had potential…_

**_You do. You are hardly helpless… even a diamond needs to be cut and polished before it can truly shine._** The voice took on a melodious quality, and for a moment Akane could almost swear it was a voice she had heard before. **_It is time for you to shine, child. Do not be afraid to partake of my power. It is yours. Now, stand and fight!_**

Yoko's brow furrowed, her eyes tracing up and down Akane's left arm. "That is most peculiar… I thought for sure I burned that arm, so how is it there is no…"

"For the last time, _shut up._" Something seemed to break free inside Akane; the tiger's growl in her ears turned into a proud roar as she rose to her feet and stared at Yoko hard enough to bore a hole through her. "I'm not letting you turn me into a goddamned punching bag, you filth; I'm going to cut those stinkin' claws off and jam 'em right down your throat!" She swung the wakizashi up in a two-handed grip; out of the corner of her eye she noticed her left arm showed absolutely no sign of burns, and no pain from said arm was forthcoming besides the claw wounds on her shoulder.

Yoko shook off her curiosity and glared right back. "You're still determined to get out of this? You've only managed to cut me _once_, and even then not very deeply. I barely felt it."

"Dodge this, then." Akane raised the sword high above her head, then tore across the pavement in preparation for a wide swing.

Yoko stared and shook her head, almost laughing at the attack as Akane drew closer. _She must be desperate; even an inexperienced human could dodge a swing like that._ As Akane began to bring the sword down, Yoko snickered, allowing the blade to descend closer and closer to her shoulder. It was still descending when she pushed back with her heels, letting the blade pass directly in front of her.

The blade _would_ have passed directly in front of her… had something else not happened to change the dynamic. Mid-descent, Akane's grip on the sword tightened and crimson ki erupted from her body, quickly changing to white-gold as the sword's own ki merged with hers. "_Lend your strength, KONGOUSEKITOU!_"

The wakizashi flared a brilliant white, causing Yoko to wince as she maneuvered just out of the blade's reach… and an instant later, lances of fire shot through her chest as her left arm was severed neatly at the shoulder. White ichors spilled onto the darkened pavement; the scream that left her lips was bloodcurdling. The devilgirl staggered back, staring wide-eyed at the weapon in Akane's hands.

The blade and hilt had both lengthened by an unusual amount- indeed, the blade alone stood no less than four feet long, transforming from a wakizashi into an o-dachi in the blink of an eye. Furthermore, the blade itself no longer appeared to be rune-engraved steel, but translucent white crystal that reflected myriad slivers of light from within. The tiger-motif tsuba was no longer circular, but hexagonal, and the grip seemed to mold itself to the contours of Akane's hands as if she had been born to wield it. For an instant, it was all she could do not to stare in wonder.

Yoko snarled through her teeth, clutching at the bleeding stump of her arm. "How… what in Satan's name… how did you… IMPOSSIBLE!" She began to glow with indigo ki; the stump quickly stopped bleeding and began to swell, stretching itself into the beginnings of a new arm.

"I told you. I'm not done fighting yet."

"Maybe not now… _but you will be._" The demon's arm bulged and snapped outward, leaving no hint that her limb had ever been severed. She glared at Akane and swiped her new hand forward; fingernails quickly lengthened to claws… and continued growing, crossing the distance between them in an instant. Two nails caught Akane's thigh as she spun aside; she shook off the pain and brought the crystalline sword down hard on all five claws at once. This time there were no sparks- the sword cut through all five like a hot knife through butter, causing both combatants' eyes to widen in surprise. Akane managed to regain her senses faster, darted towards Yoko- noting that for its new size, the sword was surprisingly light and easy to swing- and brought the blade to bear, cutting four times in rapid succession. This time it was Yoko who scrambled for cover as Kongousekitou cut two shallow furrows in her shoulder and across her thigh; she rolled and sprang away just as Akane brought the sword down in an overhead swing that cut a clean furrow through the pavement.

"Okay, I can now say I am officially angry, girl! Now BURN!" Flame quite literally exploded from Yoko's tattooed arm as the devilgirl drew into a low crouch, spewing an even larger stream of fire across most of the road between them. Akane barely had a moment to raise her sword and lock eyes with her before the inferno struck. In an instant, she was engulfed, a shadowed figure surrounded by orange flame. Yoko took a heaving breath and sneered as she poured more and more energy into the attack. "Yes. Burn… burn till there's nothing left of you, you ignorant, stubborn little girl…"

Her words caught in her throat as the massive crystal sword abruptly flew out of the bonfire, twirling end over end towards her until the point sank home, jabbing into her right shoulder- and through it, pinning her to a telephone pole just beyond. Yoko shrieked and grasped the sword desperately with her left hand, tugging the blade slowly out even as its ki seared her hand… and stopped and stared as Akane burst through the wall of fire, barely sporting any signs that she was even singed. "You thought you could burn me? I barely even felt that, you minx!" she spat as she elbowed the demon across the face, spun left and yanked the sword out of her arm.

The giant blade quickly shrank to its normal size as she resheathed it across her back, spun and reverse-roundhouse kicked Yoko away from the telephone pole. "Now I'm gonna pay you back in spades; try this one on for size!" Ki flared around her knuckles, and just as Yoko staggered to her feet, she let both fists fly. "RYOUKO…" The left fist caught her full-force in the gut. "TSUME KEN!" Yoko found herself airborne as the follow-up uppercut smashed her sternum and cracked her jaw simultaneously, throwing her up and back against one of the darker sections of shadow wall.

Akane dropped back into a ready stance… then staggered, breathing hard. _Oh hell… guess I put a little too much into that last punch, and she's not out yet…_

Yoko leaned heavily against the wall and pushed herself upward, her head drooping forward as she assumed a shaky fighting stance. "This… is _not_ what I had planned for," she gasped, white fluid dripping from her wounds and the corner of her mouth. "You get faster on the fly… your stance is different, you're using moves I've never seen you use before…" She lurched forward, ki flaring as she struggled to seal her wounds. "And on top of that… _I can't burn you! What's the matter with you, girl?_"

Akane breathed heavily- and blinked as the shadow wall behind Yoko began to bend and swell outward. Something began to prod at the core of her being, and she smiled defiantly. "First off… you don't call me girl, you sycophant whore. My name… is Akane Tendo, and will eventually be Akane Saotome." She straightened up. "Second, you should have watched me more than you apparently did… or you'd know I'd been training hard since Jusendo. And thirdly…" Her smile turned coy. "Your game's over. Right now."

Yoko stared in disbelief and snapped upright, her aura flaring madly as her wounds sealed at a snail's pace- and a millisecond later, her eyes widened even further, for another reason.

"HAKU DATO SHIN SHO!"

She barely had a chance to scream in agony as the breath was knocked from her body; dozens of rapid-fire strikes raked up and down her back with the force of a jackhammer, causing several wounds to reopen and ichors to spill from her mouth. The barrage abruptly ceased and she began to fall forward… her eyes caught a momentary blur of red and black at the edge of her vision… and before she could react, the pig-tailed young man who appeared before her had driven his own sword directly through her neck. Her body stiffened, then began to fall slack as she felt her ki draining away from her core.

_A-Astaroth-sama… I… I've failed you_… She dropped to her knees, a single tear escaping her eye before collapsing to the ground and bursting into a cloud of formless energy.

--------------------

Ranma slid his wakizashi into its saya, straightened up and looked at Akane with an expression that was part relief, part apology. "Sorry I'm late."

"You baka…" She shook her head, broke out into a huge smile and caught him in a tight hug that he quickly returned. "I'm just glad you made it at all, I was scared something had got at you on the way…"

"Something almost did before I caught ya calling out mind-to-mind. Then I had to find a shortcut." He pulled back and gave her wounds a cursory look. "How bad is it? That jerk didn't get you too bad, I hope…"

"Just a few bumps here and there, maybe a couple scratches. It's nothing…" She stopped and drew in a hissing breath as Ranma ran a finger across one of the deeper gashes. "I've handled worse than this."

"Didn't feel like nothing to me," Ranma replied as he extended his aura into his palm and ran a thumb gently across the lacerations on her cheek. "When I was following you here, I swear I could almost feel some of what that bitch did to ya… and some of it stung enough that I almost lost control of the Umisen." His hands dropped to some of her other wounds, closing them as the Healing Light touched and rejuvenated her aura. "More than that, though… when that fire started coming at you…" He swallowed hard. "I thought for a second it was gonna be like…"

"I know. Me too- at first." She shook her head, then glanced down at her left arm again. "But it doesn't look like it did much of anything. I mean, I could tell it was hot and all, I felt it hit me… but… I didn't actually feel that much _pain_. And the second time, I didn't feel anything, it was more like a sauna than anything else…"

"Well whatever happened, I'm just glad you're okay, 'kane."

"Me too," she replied, pulling Ranma in for another hug and a brief but powerful kiss. "When that black stuff pulled us under, and I woke up here by myself, I thought that…" She trailed off, her eyes widening. "Oh, Kami… what about the others? Did you see any of them?"

"Only Ryoga; we kinda got separated. Had to deal with some jagoff demons made of rock, and the guy tells me he'll take care of it himself." _He better not have gotten in over his head._

"You mean he's still out there?"

"And everyone else is as well, probably. Just Astaroth's way of making us all late to his damn party if ya ask me, Akane."

"Then why are we just standing around chatting?" She grabbed his hand and began to run towards the first open path she saw- which happened to be towards the vacillating indigo fire in the distance. "Come on, we've gotta go find them; they're probably up to their ears in freaks like that psycho chick!"

"Akane, it ain't that easy," Ranma said evenly as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and ran alongside her. "These damn walls've got us penned in pretty heavy- even with the Umisen-ken, it took me _forever_ to get to where you were, and I haven't been able to read _anything_ aura-wise except for when ya called out to me! Finding Shin and the others ain't as simple as that, I hope you know."

"So what do we do, then? Just keep running and hope we hit something before long?"

At that instant, a vibe shook through the ground at their feet, a ki tremor so massive they both skidded to a halt and stared. The light from Furinkan seemed much closer now, but the colors dancing in the mist-laden sky had taken on a much darker hue. Swirls of royal purple, vermillion and indigo were mixing with snakelike tendrils of pure black that twisted into hypnotic whorls. A slow, steady throb began to echo through the streets, like a massive heartbeat, and one by one the black partitions lining the streets began to fade away.

Akane gulped. "I don't like this feeling…"

"Me neither," Ranma added, lacing his fingers with hers. "Bet you anything Astaroth's finished cooking things up, and we're the goddamned dinner guests." His eyes narrowed and he rested his left hand firmly on the sheath of Nibaikotsu. "Not to mention my mom…"

"And Kasumi." Akane's eyes hardened and she tightened her grip on Ranma's hand. "And the others…"

"Are probably heading towards that fire right now. Which is what _we_ oughta be doing." He glanced sideways at her. "You gonna be okay, Akane?"

She paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously and gave him a confident smile. "Not really. But I will be once we get Kasumi and Auntie back."

"Then let's do it…" He paused and smirked. "Kawaii tomboy."

"Handsome baka." She reached out- this time with her aura- and took hold of his, feeling an inner warmth flow through her and back out to him again. _I'm not losing sight of you again…_ Heels dug into the pavement together, and the two teens catapulted themselves down the road at breakneck speed, racing towards the Furinkan gates and the inferno that dwarfed both it and the buildings around it.

Soon the side street opened onto the familiar main road just in front of the school. They turned a hard corner, skidded to a halt in front of the gates… and stared.

"Oh… hell," Ranma whispered.

Akane blinked. "My sentiments exactly…"

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 5/31/06: I hate to leave things at another cliffhanger, but that's just the way the story is progressing at this point. And furthermore, I must say that I will not be able to make the next post within 2-3 weeks. I know this in advance because an important trip I have been planning for some time will be occurring in June, and I have no laptop, thus no means to write while I am away. I apologize for that, but I am cooking up something big for the final conflict and I need all the time I can get.

I do appreciate your continued support and reviews, and I will endeavor to catch up once I return from my trip(I will be gone roughly the entire middle week of June). As I have mentioned before, sometimes I will be delayed by life's little happenstances, such as my father going in for surgery, which had offset my writing considerably over the past two months. I _will_ finish this story, that much I can promise.

For those who may wonder if the battles went too well for our heroes in this chapter, just remember that each of them has progressively improved in recent times- and Mousse, in particular, is known for overcoming some pretty intense obstacles(in _Nihao My Concubine_ he got hit with a barrage of acupuncture needles that should have at least paralyzed him, but he stood up and beat down the bird-man instead). In addition, it is often arrogance and subsequent carelessness that often makes a foe lose the battle.

_Inchua Chuan_- The Hawk's Talon, one of Mousse's hidden weapon moves featured in the canon. The name is Chinese rather than Japanese; found on an online FAQ.

_Kongousekitou_- literally a fusion of two words, translates as _diamond saber_. The name of Akane's clan sword, suitable for a girl who could be considered a 'diamond in the rough'.

_O-dachi_- one of the most massive swords ever constructed by Japanese smiths, they could be 67 inches from tip to pommel, or longer. Rarely made because of the special tempering process needed to make such a long sword. Occasionally confused with _nodachi_.

_Haku Dato Shin Sho_- White Snake Reliable Fist, a special attack of the Umisen-ken which potentially exceeds the speed of even the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken. Derived from a pilfering technique used to swipe valuables in the blink of an eye(blame Genma, he designed the original technique).

Hopefully you have enjoyed this addition to the chronicle. Stay tuned; all things are coming to a head at the gates of Furinkan- and once again, I apologize for the inevitable delay. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	41. Night of Fire

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. They have merely been borrowed for the purposes of this ongoing chronicle. With that said, let us proceed.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 41: Night of Fire

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The sight that greeted the two teens was not quite Hell… though it wasn't far off. It was something akin to Edvard Munch's painting _The Scream_, but rather than one person twisted in agony, it was an entire building.

The whole campus was glowing like an infection. The outer walls bristled with twisted stone spikes, and the ebony pillars that had sprung up like a row of temple gates seemed to pulse and throb with the same sickly ki that saturated the air. It took them a moment to fully realize that the front door and several walls had been completely blown away, replaced by a pit ringed with violet flames that were growing brighter by the second. Their eyes traveled skyward, following the lines where the wall had been cleaved away, until they stopped at a further addition- four massively tall black obelisks set in a square atop the roof of Furinkan High. A faint light seemed to be flickering from somewhere amidst the obelisks, just beyond the roof's edge.

Ranma stood stock-still, eyes widening at every monstrous addition to the building. "I don't believe this… this is what he meant by an Unfinished Gate?"

"It's like something out of a nightmare…" Akane bit her lip and unconsciously squeezed Ranma's hand, only relaxing her grip when she felt him squeeze back.

"If this is the sicko's idea of a joke, I sure as Hell ain't laughing," Ranma growled, taking two steps forward and gripping the saya of his sword. "ASTAROTH! You want us so bad? Well, here we are! Now where are ya? And where's Kasumi and my Mom?"

A shadow moving on the roof's edge caught their attention; squinting through the sheets of fire rising from the ground, they could just make out a tall man in a longcoat, arms folded, looking right at them. His long hair was flaring about his head, and while Akane couldn't be sure, she could almost feel his sneer hitting them full-force.

"So you've arrived." His voice seemed to echo in their ears as if he stood next to them- low, seductive and menacing. "You two appear to have become quite the warriors, indeed. To weave your way out of Kurowashi's Shadow Maze so soon… most impressive." The voice paused, then chuckled. "And look. You came dressed in matching shirts. How disgustingly _sweet_."

"Like I care about yer damn praises!" Ranma spat. "You think this is some kinda damn game?"

"Oh, this is no game, Saotome." The voice took on an angry air. "I have every intention of taking your deaths _very_ seriously." He turned his head and Akane suddenly felt the icy void of his glare wash over her from the inside out. "Especially considering what you did to my viceroy. One hardly comes across one as loyal as Yoko every day, and you cut her down as though she were common filth. That was… uncalled for, girl."

The complete disdain she heard in the word _girl_ quickly stirred Akane's temper, abruptly breaking the chill as she shot a glare back. "_Uncalled for_? You think you've got the right to talk about something being _uncalled for_? That Yoko bitch made the first move; if you don't like what happened, well, it's her own damn fault she wasn't watching us _all_ the time!" She balled her fists and took a step forward. "Now, _where's my sister?_ I swear, if you hurt her _or_ Auntie, I'm gonna…"

"Be still, Tendo," Astaroth purred. "They are as yet unharmed. In fact, they are right up here, with me. I brought them as witness to your executions."

"Fancy way o' saying ya want them to watch me an' Akane die," Ranma snorted, cracking his knuckles. "Sorry to mess up yer plans, asshole, but I'm not gonna die today, an' neither is Acchan. You, on the other hand…" He turned his head and smirked. "You ready to fight, 'kane?"

She nodded and smiled faintly. "If you're ready, I guess that makes me ready."

"Oh, yes. By all means, do come and rescue them…" Astaroth paused, extending his right hand over the fiery circle three stories below. "And leave the entire ward to the mercies of my Finished Gate." His hand clenched shut.

A pulse of ki burst outward from the pit that pushed Ranma and Akane backwards three feet, almost knocking them off balance. The violet flames marking the circle became a mixture of steel blue and green, bathing the front of the school in a vomitous light- and Akane gasped as shadows began to emerge from the depths of the pit. First a few small shadows, then a few more, forming into the recognizable silhouettes of imps as they crawled upward and began to advance. Several imps became a dozen with a dozen more behind them, and behind _those_ imps more and more figures began to emerge… larger ones, in varying sizes and shapes, all of them leering at the two shocked teens before them… all crouching, preparing to spring forth.

Akane's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, Kami…"

"That dirty son of a bitch," Ranma growled. "_That's_ what he needed time for… he wasn't redecoratin' the damn school, he was callin' his own private army."

"Quite perceptive, Sagara's heir." Astaroth turned and began to walk away from the edge of the roof. "So, make your choice. Approach me and save your family- or remain where you are and fight to save a city. The choice is yours; you'd likely perish either way." He cast an amused glance at the runic circle below. "And I'd make the decision soon if I were you. My friends appear to be getting… antsy." A wry smirk and a flourish, and he was gone from the roof's edge.

"How… HOW DARE YOU!" Akane began to shake, her nails digging into her palms hard enough to draw blood. "You want us to… to decide between… _what kind of a monster are you?_"

"Akane, calm down. That's what he wants out of you; he wants ya to lose your cool."

"_Calm down?_ Ranma, he's asking us to choose between the city and our family, and both ways seem to work in his favor, and you want me to calm down? How can you be so nonchalant about…" She trailed off, catching herself at the last moment as she noticed that while Ranma's face looked calmly detached, his own fists were shaking with controlled rage and blood was already seeping from his palms.

He looked at her, and his eyes told everything even before his words met her mind in the Astral. _I promise you, Acchan… I'm gonna make him eat those words of his just before I cut his head off. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I'm not lettin' him get the upper hand. Not now, not ever._ A rush of emotion flowed from him to her, confirming the anger that was exceeding hers- an anger, she had learned in their recent exercises, he only ever felt when a loved one was in jeopardy. And with it, the barest modicum of control- control that she was ashamed to admit she had been lacking until recently.

Akane took a deep breath. _Sorry… I should've known you'd feel…_ She blinked and looked at the slowly growing horde of demonkin, which was starting to saunter towards them. _But… what do we do now? We could probably take these things on- I mean, we took on those oni that Kuno summoned- but if they just keep coming, we'll never get Kasumi or your mom back!_

_Yeah, that's what he's expectin' us to do, like a martial artist of old would do… give up a few to save many._ Ranma wiped his brow, teeth clenched tight. _I don't know… I never planned for somethin' like this…_

"You two handle the one in charge. I'll take care of these." The two jumped at the voice; spinning around, their eyes widened in relief at the sight of Shingen entering the intersection. His left sleeve was in tatters with loose chainmail spilling from the lining, and his naginata rested lightly on one shoulder as he surveyed the scene. Ukyo was standing beside him; she rested one hand on his back as though supporting him, and her combat spatula appeared to be worn from use. Konatsu was beside her on the other side, watching the road behind them; his hair and clothing were both quite disheveled.

Ranma broke out in a grin. "Shin! Ukyo! Damn, I was wonderin' where you guys got to; are you okay?"

Ukyo smirked. "Sorry we're late. Traffic."

"Met up with some unexpected help on the way," Shingen added, gesturing to Konatsu, who bowed politely. "After that we just had to fight our way out of the Shadow Maze… and I'm guessing that open Portal over there is the reason _why_ we got thrown in that Maze." The growing cluster of demonkin began to shuffle forward, making room for more shadowed forms to emerge from the pit; laughter was filling the air and growing louder by the second. "Guess that explains the energy I couldn't track before."

"Yeah, it might," Akane quipped, her eyes darting from the advancing horde to the roof and back again. "Dirty trick to pull if you ask me…"

"This is Demonkind we're talking about. They _never_ fight fair; I thought I told you that once before, Akane." Shingen hefted the halberd off his shoulder, resting the butt of the staff on the ground. "And like I said, I'll take care of these. Get going, both of you!"

"Shin, _are you out of your skull?_ You wanna take on that… that freakshow on all by yourself? Dammit, man, I know yer a good fighter, but…"

"But _nothing_, Ranma. You know as well as I do you can't be in two places at once, and if you don't get moving there's no telling _what_ that creep might do to the hostages." The taller man snapped his eyes towards the Portal, scrutinizing it for an instant before turning back. "Besides, even if you two hold off all the freaks- and I'm sure you could- they'd just keep coming through, wouldn't they? _I_ know how to seal a Portal off, _you_ don't… not yet, anyway."

Akane gaped. "You're really serious, aren't you? You're going to try and…" She blinked and shook her head. "Even so, you can't expect us to leave you alone; that Oni sword was one thing, but _this?_"

"He's not gonna be alone, kiddo," Ukyo piped up as she raised her own weapon. "I'm still good for a scrap or two… and I'm _not_ planning on leaving a 'Hunter' matter at this point, no matter how much you wanna kick and scream, Shin-kun." She gave him a determined smile as he turned to look at her; he started to say something, stopped, then merely sighed and nodded resignedly.

"I'm not leaving, either," Konatsu added. "I may not know much about what's happening here, but I'll do my best to help Ukyo-sama and Shingen-san." He finished with a quick bow and a flourish of his sword.

"If those two aren't leaving, we're not leaving, either!" A quick turn of the head was all that was needed to spot Mousse and Shampoo emerging from the far side of the T-intersection; their clothes were much the worse for wear- especially hers, which had become little more than a bikini supplemented by a sarong made of Mousse's robe lining- and it was hard to miss the fresh wounds on their bodies, but Ranma and Akane could feel battle aura rolling off them in waves, superseding their injuries. "An Amazon never leaves their brethren in the heat of battle," said Mousse in an iron voice, "and as such, I dare not leave now."

"Shampoo agree. No leave till one who cause all this lie dead!" She glanced up and nodded to Mousse, who nodded in return and raised his twin swords. Faint flickers of ki danced up and down the blades, catching the attention of Ranma and Shingen- but their attention was abruptly drawn away by a dull thud, quickly followed by another, louder thud. Glancing away from Furinkan, the group quickly saw a distant garden wall burst into powder. Another one, a closer fence, burst immediately after, then another, then a third and fourth until finally the wall nearest to the intersection exploded into thousands of pieces- revealing a sweaty, panting, and highly pissed Ryoga Hibiki.

Ryoga swiped his forehead with his arm and shot a wry grin in Ranma's direction. "Told ya I could handle those bastards by myself, didn't I?"

Ranma shook his head and fought back the urge to let loose with relieved laughter. "Not exactly the route I woulda taken, Ryoga, but right now I don't really give a damn!"

"Hey, I got here as fast as I could! Fact is, given my track record I think I… did… pretty… what the _bloody hell is going on here?_" Ryoga's jaw nearly hit the pavement as his eyes locked on to the monstrous cadre that was filling Furinkan's courtyard.

A shriek went up from the assorted imps and oni… and they chose that instant to charge.

"Everybody spread out! Don't let any of them get through, and for Kami's sake _don't risk yourself beyond your means!_ Ranma, Akane, _get moving!_ I'll follow you when I've got this Portal sealed!" Shingen's eyes locked with theirs for an instant, followed by a clipped mind-to-mind message. _Don't try and take him out by yourselves. Buy as much time as you can, then we three can all try and find his weak spot! You hear me? NO crazy risks! I'm not about to have two new Hunters jumping into a suicide mission!_ He jammed his naginata into the pavement in one fluid blow, drew his hands up to his face and extended the first three fingers on each hand. Gold-white light began to gather about his right hand… and just as the first few imps were practically on top of him, he thrust outward. "KONPAKU KAKI BAKUHA!"

Screeches rent the air as the ki blast powered through no less than a dozen imps at once, ripping them to shreds and passing through to scatter the dozens of lesser demons still moving forward. Lesser oni were tossed about or burned to a cinder as the golden blast skimmed the ground, battering into several larger demons before finally dying down. Shingen's hands disappeared into his jacket as startled and wounded Hellspawn began to regroup, followed by a lightning volley of throwing knives that pierced eyes, nostrils, and any patch of flesh they could find; four more imps exploded into white oblivion, while two snake spirits writhed in agony, snapping at the daggers lodged in their backs.

Ranma sprang into action, grasping Akane's hand in his and sprinting for the edge of the school gates. An unspoken plan passed from his mind to hers, followed by an affirmative nod on her part as she shifted her weight and allowed him to pull her across his shoulders. Akane's arms clasped tight around his neck as she felt him plant one foot, then she ducked as the two of them became airborne, averting her eyes from the sudden rush of air. In a second he was on the wall, then leapt again almost instantly toward the first of the spires lining the walkway to the school. A flailing tentacle snaked up the spire to grab at him, but Ranma was far to nimble and crushed the tentacle beneath his heel as he landed, promptly bouncing to the spire's neighbor. He continued to jump, higher and higher with each successive bound, closer and closer to the roof.

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Demons continued to boil out of the schoolyard; no longer in the dozens, their numbers seemed to verge close to a hundred and continued to rise. With a crack, Shingen wrenched his naginata from the pavement and crouched low. "NOW!"

"Try chewing on this, uglies!" Ukyo snarled, peppering the onslaught- literally- with dozens of paper sachets of pepper, followed by a blizzard of throwing spatulas that tore the packages open, sending stinging clouds into numerous demonic eyes. Those afflicted faltered in their charge and started clawing their face, but were quickly interrupted as Shingen blazed into them, swinging his polearm in the figure-eight pattern he was fond of. Ukyo laughed and unslung her own weapon, leaping into the fray with a rapid succession of spatula-whacks.

"HAPPO BIJIN SHURIKEN!" Konatsu darted to the right, skirting the chaos and sending a flock of throwing stars in all directions. Several lesser demons ducked beneath the projectiles and scrambled out of the pack, intending to strangle the scarlet kunoichi, but they had barely reached him when Konatsu stepped backwards into an errant tendril of fog and disappeared. An instant later, he reappeared from the mist behind the two oni, drew his sword and stabbed both through their necks. "You may be not of this world," he snapped, turning back towards the growing throng, "but I suppose even you are capable of underestimating your foes." His hands flashed again, casting two throwing daggers into two batlike beasts that were approaching Ukyo, then he jumped straight up and cut the things in two before they hit the ground.

A hurricane of chain flails, swords fixed to lanyards, knives and maces of varying size slammed into another section of the demon army as Mousse let fly everything he had- _including_ the kitchen sink. "Thought you'd do us all in, scum?" he growled, reeling his weapons in like yo-yos. "THINK AGAIN!" His right sleeve emptied again, this time flinging its contents into the face of a single large oni. There was a horrid crunch and a groan as the beast's skull caved in; before it could fall, Mousse dropped his ranged weaponry and retrieved his Sun Blade, ducked in and laid into the monster with a spinning uppercut slash that tore vicious furrows across the oni's chest. It barely had time to gurgle before exploding into powder. He twisted away and yanked his other sword from the twin scabbard just as another oni barreled through the gates, rearing its club back to strike. The club was inches from his head when an Amazon battlecry ripped through the air, accompanied by Shampoo somersaulting through the air and smashing both bonbori into the creature's head and chest like twin jackhammers.

"How many more of these goons do we have to put up with?" Ryoga hollered, roundhouse-kicking three imps into the nearest wall seconds before a gibbering simian-thing scrambled out of the mist and leaped at his face. The simian's descent halted abruptly when Ryoga grabbed it one-handed by the throat, turned at the same time and body slammed the beast into the pavement. "I thought the guy behind all this was supposed to be here, not more of his damn lackeys!" He quickly filled both hands with bandannas, spun rapidly and sent projectiles flying in all directions, cutting the necks of numerous lesser demons.

"Shampoo think these more than lackeys!" The purple-haired warrior chucked her weapons into the groins of two emaciated red-eyed zombies, then executed a series of rapid-fire punches verging on Amaguriken speed that felled both of them. "Think man responsible has open wide very gates of Hell!" She turned and bent down to snag a bonbori, then blinked as a multi-limbed shadow passed over her. There was a sudden crash; she glanced over her shoulder to see a giant black arachnid looming almost on top of her, one forelimb lashing out at her neck. Mousse screamed a warning at the last instant; Shampoo's eyes widened and she ducked away, feeling a cool breeze across her neck as the talon passed mere millimeters over her skin. She tucked and rolled away- and quickly realized a large portion of her long hair had been sheared off just above the shoulder. She gasped in outrage and glared at the approaching spider-demon, which was raising its forelimbs again… and an instant later, exploded in white ichors as Mousse's swords and Shingen's unlocked naginata tore it to shreds.

"That was too close," Ukyo yelled as she batted two lesser oni away. "They keep coming at this rate, we're not gonna last much longer!"

"My sentiments exactly!" Ryoga added, punching through the heads of three humanoid demons in succession. "Hey, I may just be gettin' warmed up here, but this keeps up too long and the freaks're gonna outlast us!" He jerked his right hand up and punched the asphalt beneath him so hard it created a shockwave that knocked five approaching imps on their asses, followed by a wide umbrella swing that battered them into oblivion.

Shingen gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his weapon. "Better try and clear a path fast, then! CHAIN BLADE SCREWDRIVER!" The blade of Karasuhebi practically exploded as the serrations expanded, driving the point through the thick of the demons like a harpoon. Shingen grasped the polearm near the blade and jerked upward, sending a ripple through the chain and lashing out on either side. Another twist and the chain spun in a circle, until with a minimum of motion the chainblade was twisting through the cadre of monsters like a giant drill. Deafening screeches echoed through the courtyard as the blade darted, snake-like, around and about the thicker concentrations of demons before constricting and tearing them to shreds. Moments later, Shingen yanked hard on the staff end, retracting the links abruptly and re-forming Karasuhebi's normal blade, leaving a gaping hole in the demons' front lines.

"That hole won't last long; we gotta hit 'em hard!" He crouched low, then sprang forward, handspringing straight into the fray with the naginata swinging out on all sides, carving great crescents through the air and through multiple monstrous faces. Ukyo blinked, then sprinted after him, flailing her own weapon and screeching an Osaka battlecry at the top of her lungs. Ryoga, not to be outdone, seized a section of the school gates and tore it straight out of the ground, hurling the impromptu missile into a quartet of ogres and smashing their faces in.

It wasn't long before all six warriors had entered the courtyard, each one pummeling, slashing or otherwise beating back the encroaching masses which still continued to pour from the Portal. A scant few imps still ventured to advance beyond the school gate and into the ward; the majority seemed content to rage against the few humans before them who dared to fight back. All at once, there was a sudden flare from the Portal, and the flow of demons from within abruptly increased. Shingen's eye twitched as he cut three toxic kitsune down, only to have them replaced by three snake demons. "This is not good," he growled. "They're trying to deadlock us; they're not advancing but we can't advance either…" A pained cry brought his thoughts to a screeching halt; spinning to the right, he caught a glimpse of a black-skinned oni pulling its right fist back- and Ukyo dropping to her knees, clutching her stomach in pain. "UCCHAN!"

The next thing Shingen felt was a blow to his own midsection as two of the snakes head-butted him simultaneously. He staggered back, shook off the pain and ducked under a red ogre's backhand swing before charging the black oni like a raging bull. A flash of light, and Karasuhebi's blade assumed chain form briefly, ripping the oni apart almost faster than the eye could see. The snakes and red ogre wrestled their way through the throng towards Shingen, only to be dispatched an instant later; Mousse's Sun and Moon blades quickly split all the snakes down the middle, while two hard kicks to the knees from Shampoo brought the ogre collapsing into a shoulder-throw courtesy of Ryoga. A smaller, green-skinned oni skittered towards them, baring a set of wicked claws on each hand, but suddenly had to deal with a rapid barrage of shuriken and a throat slash, courtesy of a near-invisible Konatsu.

"That DOES it! I am getting _sick and tired of this!_ Everybody duck, NOW!" Something snapped inside Shingen as he planted his feet on either side of Ukyo, shielding her coughing form with his own as he began to spin his naginata at blinding speed. _I HATE risking them with this move, but I haven't got any other choice! If I can't get to that Portal, we're gonna get overrun and then NOBODY gets out of this! Ranma, just give me a little more time!_ "IKUSEN YAIBA NO TEIKIATSU!"

--------------------

**_Moments earlier…_**

--------------------

The white-haired demon's lips curled into an amused leer. "You're both quite pretty, you know," he mused, running a finger along his jaw line. "Perhaps I might forego your own deaths once I dispose of those two. Maybe keep you on… as permanent guests in my house, perhaps."

"Don't you _dare_ speak of such a thing!" Nodoka spat as Kasumi cringed in revulsion. "You so much as lay a hand on my son _or_ Akane, and I swear…"

"Swear _what?_" Astaroth lunged forward, slamming one hand against the barricade of stone pillars separating them. Each pillar had literally been molded from the roof itself, pried and prodded until they had formed a smallish cage in which Kasumi and Nodoka had awakened. Kasumi pushed herself against the far wall of the cage, but Nodoka sat in a proper kneeling position and glared Astaroth square in the eye… though doing so caused shivers to run down her spine.

"Well? What is it you swear you'll do, woman? You're no awakened Hunter, though you carry their blood… you're not even a martial artist. You can't even wield a sword properly in combat; what could _you_ possibly do against me?"

Nodoka bit her lip. "You… you'll pay for what you've done, I'm sure of it…"

Astaroth snorted. "Keh. Well, we'll find out soon enough, won't we. Your spawn…" He shot a glance at Kasumi. "…and your sister will be here shortly. Probably making their minds up over whether to save you or the townsfolk, but rest assured they'll choose you. I'm sure of it."

Kasumi began to tremble. "How c-could you… m-making them choose between family and the whole w-ward…"

"Oh, they'll definitely choose you." He reached up and flicked a strand of hair out of his eye. "Their friends should have arrived by now; they'll occupy my friends while those two come to you." He let his hand drop, resting on the pommel of the sword cane in his belt. "Be sure and watch closely… it's not often one gets to witness an execution."

A flicker of motion caught the corner of Astaroth's vision. He turned around just as Ranma shot past the edge of the roof with Akane's arms wrapped tight around his neck. The pair twisted in midair, broke apart on a prearranged count and landed in low crouches on the roof. Nodoka and Kasumi gasped; the instant they touched down, reddish-gold ki began to pulse from their bodies, undulating into the air like solar flares. Akane swallowed hard and her aura faltered slightly, but if anything Ranma's aura grew brighter the instant his eyes caught sight of the cage containing Astaroth's guests.

The demon prince smiled. "Made your decision at last, have you?"

"You can cut the condescending crap right now, jerkwad," Ranma growled, drawing himself up to his full height. He felt a slight burning sensation just below his neck; the warding pendant he wore was reacting so much it was glowing blue-white all over. "Now let my Mom and Kasumi go! Ya wanted us here, now ya got us!"

"Tut-tut, now. You're quite the arrogant one, telling _me_ what to do with my guests. I told you… I brought them here as witnesses. And besides, I _do_ enjoy the company of beautiful ladies."

Akane's eyes fixated on the cage and its location- roughly the center of the roof- and as her eyes darted from one end of the roof to another, noticing certain key breaks in the overall surface, a quick realization hit her. "You scum!" she gasped. "Witnesses nothing, you're using them as a damn _shield!_"

Ranma's head whipped in her direction. "What'd you say, 'kane?"

Akane gritted her teeth as she stood up, yanking her wakizashi off her back. "He said he kept tabs on us for ages, right? The jerk's probably seen you fight more often than I have, and Kami knows I've seen you fight a _lot_, Ranma." Her voice began to shake. "He probably knows the range of your best moves… and the collateral damage they sometimes cause… so if he put something in the way that you wouldn't try to risk…"

Ranma's blood turned cold. _Holy… that goddamned bastard! As long as they're here, if he sticks close to them I can't do most ANY of my power moves! That COWARD!_

"Please," Astaroth purred, waving one hand petulantly. "Need I remind you two that I can't be killed lest you make me bleed? And as I hardly need to point out, no man has ever done that. You seriously think I would need a _shield?_" He drummed his fingers on the molded stone cage. "This is vendetta, Saotome. I plan to make you suffer… and I know you pride yourself on those power moves. Of course, you could still use them if you don't care who might be in the way…"

Ranma swallowed hard, then glared daggers at the demon as his aura flared with renewed vigor. "_Whatever!_ You wanna crimp my style? _Fine!_ Nothing I haven't dealt with before and _you sure as hell know it!_" He snatched the Sagara wakizashi from its sheath and grasped it two-handed. "So no man's ever made ya bleed?" Light exploded from the blade and he pulled in either direction, producing Nibaikotsu's twin broadswords, both dancing with golden ki. "Guess I'll just have ta be the first!"

Astaroth's eye twitched. "Interesting… releasing your clan sword's locked form without calling on its name." His right hand moved to the grip of his own sword. "Quite an achievement for newly awakened Hunter blood. You learn just as quickly as I remember, Saotome." His eyes narrowed. "Not that it matters."

Ranma shot Akane a quick glance. _Acchan, pincer attack on my word! Hit at him quick, then get away; I'm gonna try something!_

Akane's grip tightened on her wakizashi. _Whatever you do, don't you dare die on me, you baka…_

"Time for the Anything Goes style to die." With one fluid motion, Astaroth pulled his sword from the scabbard; as he did, a gust of violet ki burst outward from the pommel gem, producing thousands of energy tendrils that scattered across the roof. Nodoka and Kasumi cried out as they found themselves bound in place within the cell. Continuing the motion, Astaroth held the blade high, looked forward… and saw that neither Ranma nor Akane had been snared. A quick glance up confirmed his suspicion; they had jumped at the last second and were at the apex of an extremely high bound.

"Your evasion only drags the sentence out," he chuckled, lifting his left hand. "DARK THUNDER!" Black energy exploded from his palm, lancing upwards at phenomenal speed towards Ranma's chest. Nodoka cringed and slammed her eyes shut, while Kasumi found herself unable to turn away, like a deer caught in the headlights… and just as the bolt was about to strike, Ranma crossed his twin swords in front of his body and muttered something Kasumi couldn't quite make out.

The crash of ki on steel was deafening as Ranma pumped his aura through both swords and outward, manifesting a ki shield that sent Astaroth's Dark Thunder back towards the demon. The white-haired man grunted in irritation, batting his own attack to the side an instant before both teens landed and sprang forward, coming at him from either side on a prearranged count. "TAKE THIS, SLIMEBALL!" Akane shouted as she drew back her sword and cranked up her own pace; her legs blurred and she became a human bullet.

"You'd best leave well enough alone, girl!" Astaroth's left hand flew to the scabbard in his belt sash; with a sudden motion, he gripped it as if it were a second sword and struck the ground at his feet. Roof tiles quickly distended, re-molded themselves, and burst out in all directions, becoming a deadly fusillade of darts that Akane barely had time to react to. With a grunt, she planted one foot and pushed upwards, executing a spinning jump with her arms tucked in; she prayed to Kami that her aura was still manifesting and sheathing her body as the shrapnel flew hither and yon. A sharp sting bit into her left shoulder as one missile grazed her skin; a twinge in her thigh told her there was a barb sticking in her flesh, but for the most part she somehow managed to clear the cloud of darts- and suddenly she found herself face-to-face with the white-haired demon. With a vicious kiai she lashed out with her sword, clashing with his and just as quickly springing away, putting at least a yard's distance between them.

"Keh. So now it's come to play-fighting, has it?" Astaroth glowered as his body blurred. The gap between them closed almost instantly as he brought his sword down hard and fast- only to collide with Ranma's swords as he appeared out of thin air between them, caught Astaroth's weapon in another X-block and shoved viciously upward.

"In your own words- this ain't no game!" Ranma snapped. "Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken Revised! ENGETSU RAIKOU-KEN!" The words had barely left his mouth when the world exploded in a flurry of wind and steel. Ranma became something akin to a whirling dervish, a hundred times over. Both blades flashed like lightning, seeming to come from multiple angles simultaneously, striking Astaroth across the arms, legs, chest, and abdomen dozens upon dozens of times. The carnage stretched mere seconds into an eternity before Ranma abruptly turned on one heel, delivered a backhand slash to the demon's throat and backflipped away, towards the cage where Nodoka and Kasumi were held.

Akane, following the lead he had given her, leaped at the same time he did, ending in a low crouch by the stone cage. She looked up… and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Astaroth continued to stand in place.

A long moment passed… and then the demon cracked his neck, turning to face them. His long garment was cut in numerous places, but there were no open wounds to be seen. Nor blood of any color.

"A valiant effort, to be sure," he murmured. "But you still don't seem to understand. _No man has made me bleed yet._" Again, his form blurred, and again he appeared directly in front of Akane and Ranma, sword blazing down in a backhand arc that gouged a deep furrow into the roof tile and sent both teens stumbling backward. Ranma kicked up to his feet just in time to see the saya come down again, sending a shockwave through their feet followed by another, more massive shrapnel blast. Akane shrieked and Ranma threw himself to the side, knocking her out of the blast's path and flinching as two darts nicked the back of both his knees.

Akane rolled as far as she could before staggering to her feet again. "This isn't fair… I thought you had him with that move for a second; what're we going to do now?"

"We do what we always do," Ranma replied through gritted teeth. "Keep fighting till we get it right!" A sudden flash caught his eye and he pushed her away as Astaroth's sword passed directly between them. He brought his right-hand sword up and managed to parry a second strike from the demon-man, dropped and aimed for his ankles with a spinning heel kick- but Astaroth easily leaped over the low attack, so he kicked up his speed a notch and spun again, this time cracking the demon in the back of the knee. Another spin, and Ranma was back on his feet again just as Astaroth dropped to both knees. "EAT THIS!" He shifted his grip on the right-hand sword, lashed out with a reverse roundhouse and drove the blade right into the demon's back and out his chest.

There was a sudden flurry of motion- and Ranma quickly found himself seeing stars as the pommel of Astaroth's black blade struck him in the temple. The demon had struck him with a reverse roundhouse of his own as he stood up, wrenching Ranma's weapon out of his body in the process. Akane screamed and dove at the white-haired man, swinging her wakizashi in a fast but easily trackable sweep with her left hand. He smirked and swung his blade up, clashing with hers and pushing her in the direction of her own attack… which is when she brought her right hand up. Clutching a most familiar-looking mallet which she promptly smashed against the knuckles of his left hand. Astaroth hissed; Akane tossed the mallet away as she turned on one heel and kicked the sword-sheath out of his grasp as hard as she could.

"You better not think I'm the same Akane you've been spying on all this time!" she snapped, grasping her wakizashi two-handed. "I'm not gonna let you screw everything up just when we were getting it right! _Lend your strength, Kongousekitou!_" There was a flash of golden light, and quickly the sword lengthened as the blade grew and shifted from metal to crystalline form. Ranma, who had recovered and resumed his fighting stance, couldn't help but stare in wonder. Nodoka and Kasumi both gasped.

Astaroth raised one eyebrow. "You've improved… that much I had expected. And I knew full well you'd 'get things right' one way or another if my servants failed to push you apart… which, quite obviously, they did." His lips pursed into an evil sneer. "Be aware, girl. Even a fine sword… a diamond sword, at that… isn't going to help you now."

"Will you just SHUT UP ALREADY?" Ranma bellowed, jamming both halves of Nibaikotsu into the roof and raising his hands. "MOKO TAKABISHA!" The ki blast burst from his palms in a tight beam, centered on Astaroth's face.

"A pointless effort," the demon sneered, thrusting his left hand out and releasing a ball of dark energy at the last second. Gold light splayed in curving arcs as Ranma's attack was bent to either side. Akane winced and shielded her eyes with one hand as light danced dangerously close to where she stood, pitting the roof with additional holes. She cracked one eye open and glanced in Ranma's direction just as he shifted the angle of his attack and channeled a bolt of ki into the tiles at Astaroth's feet. A cloud of dust exploded in his face; at that instant, Ranma ceased the attack, grabbed his twin swords and bolted into the cloud.

"You really are beginning to try my patience, you worm…" With a sharp chopping motion, Astaroth summoned up a brief but powerful whirlwind, scattering the dust cloud- and as it parted, there was an abrupt yellow flash of light from within. An instant later, a high-pitched kiai rent the air as Onna-Ranma sprang out of the remaining cloud, right into the startled face of Astaroth. There was a flash of steel across his face, and just as quickly the newly transformed redhead was crouching behind the white-haired man, swords clutched reverse-style with the blades parallel to her forearms.

"How'd ya like that, ya stuck-up prick?" she shouted, and suddenly her form became a blur. She began running and hopping in tight arcs, each one faster than the next, lashing out each time with a stab or a slash as she passed. "Ya seem to brag a lot about no _man_ making ya bleed, so I thought I'd try a little change-up! Besides… ya can't stop what _ya can't hit!_" The swords began to flash faster still as Onna-Ranma shifted her grip, differentiating each attack with every pass.

"Oh… oh Kami, that's right!" Akane gasped. "He _did_ say no _man_ ever made him bleed… but he never said anything about _women!_" She snapped her own unlocked sword to attention, tracking Onna-Ranma with her eyes and pulling into a ready stance, waiting for an opportunity to leap in. _Good Gods, Ranma, you might've just figured it out… we might have a chance yet!_

The redhead smirked and began to slow down, shooting Akane a smug grin. _Hey… this is us after all, Acchan. We always figure out a way to win._ She drummed her feet to a halt, stopping right next to Astaroth's much-lacerated figure. Raising her right-hand sword, she kicked off the ground and spun in a tight circle, aiming to sever the demon's neck with one blow…

…and suddenly gasped as she locked eyes with him and time seemed to freeze. _What the…_ She stared at the spot on his right cheek where her first attack had struck, then quickly scanned the entire length of his body. Once more, the wounds were closing rapidly. And still no blood.

The next thing she felt was like a hammer to the stomach as Astaroth unleashed a point-blank ki blast that knocked the airborne Saotome across the roof, tumbling end over end until she collapsed, gasping, less than two yards from the edge. Akane stood in momentary shock and stared as Astaroth became a blur himself, grabbing hold of Onna-Ranma's shirtsleeve almost before she had stopped rolling. He yanked her to her feet and delivered a savage uppercut with the pommel of his sword, knocking her straight up; the blow hurt like hell but quickly dissipated the shock. She twisted in mid-air, readying Nibaikotsu in preparation for an attack from below- and suddenly the demon was airborne, directly next to her. She barely had time to react before he loosed another ki attack, upsetting her balance and driving her into one of the great obelisks that ringed the roof.

Onna-Ranma gasped as the breath was knocked from her lungs, then flinched as Astaroth dove directly at her, driving his foot into her stomach, three successive sword strikes which she barely parried that almost left her embedded in the black stone, then grasping her wrist and yanking her towards him- topped off with a pommel strike to the lower back that sent her crashing to the rooftop. The redhead groaned and staggered to her feet as fast as her burning leg muscles would allow; she could feel something prodding at the back of her head and quickly realized it was Akane's fear bleeding over into their Astral Link. _I… dammit, I thought that might work, I've been hitting one vital spot after another, hard as I can, male OR female, and it's not friggin' working… geez, what the hell do I gotta do to FINISH this freak!_

There was a sudden flash of white on the periphery of her vision. Part of her sharpened aura began screaming warning signs at a rate she'd only felt a few times in her life. She whirled around… and felt something hard and sharp slam against her abdomen with terrific force. Her mouth dropped open in a silent, wordless cry as she caught sight of Astaroth's violet eyes shining with unbridled malice. Her eyes dropped lower, finally catching sight of what she hadn't wanted to see… the demon's sword stuck in her lower right side, quite literally impaling her just below the liver. She clenched her teeth against the sudden wave of pain, dropping her right-hand scimitar and clutching the sword's entry point.

Akane felt her blood turn to ice the second Astaroth's sword sunk home. "RANMAAAAA!"

Kasumi couldn't take the excitement and promptly fainted into Nodoka's arms; Nodoka, for her part, could do little more than stare, trembling, as tears began to run down her cheeks. "Oh, no… please, no… oh Kami, not my son…" she mumbled, almost mechanically.

"Hm. So you _can_ still take the form of a woman, Saotome." Astaroth chuckled humorlessly, then open-palm-struck Onna-Ranma directly in the sternum, pushing her off his sword and into a gasping heap several yards from him. "Most interesting… but not unexpected. After Yoko's report of what happened with the Musk Prince, I calculated there might be a chance you'd retain your other form, even if you _did_ rid yourself of Akureiko." He idly flicked a hair out of his eye. "She, of course, never thought of that possibility. Most imps- even intelligent ones- seldom see all possibilities. A pity, really."

A pained, fury-laced scream ripped across the rooftop; Astaroth's eyebrow lifted and his head turned to see Akane's body wreathed in a blaze of crimson and gold. "You… you… YOU MONSTER! I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU DO THIS!" Something snapped deep inside of her and she raised her massive crystalline sword until it was almost eye-level, then her legs tensed and she broke into a dead run. The demon smirked and lifted his left hand again, then brought it down. There was an orange flash- and in seconds, a sheet of fire ripped across the rooftop, engulfing Akane mere seconds before she could reach him. Nodoka gasped and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood…

…and gasped again as Akane burst through the sheet of flame, unscathed, and thrusting her sword out and up underneath Astaroth's chin. The demon's eyes widened and his right hand twirled his own blade, parrying the attack mere millimeters before it reached his throat. His arm twisted, forcing her sword down and locking up with her, staring each other eye to eye.

"So it's true then, Tendo girl," he growled. "I sensed Yoko couldn't do it when you fought her, and now this confirms it. You can't be burned." He glanced at the tip of Kongousekitou and shot her a glacial smile. "Trying to lobotomize me with that, eh? Now… that's just _rude_."

"Cut the condescending crap! I'm gonna break that sword and shove it straight down your throat! _You murderer!_" Akane pushed away and immediately sprang forward again, the massive crystal blade crashing down on Astaroth's blackened sword. Again and again, Akane pressed the attack, sweat streaking her face as she struggled to retain what little control she had left; sparks flew madly as each blow was almost casually parried. Moments later, the two had locked swords again- and Akane suddenly gasped and stumbled backward as the demon's left hand drove into her stomach.

"You really do enjoy making things into more than they are, don't you." He shot a disinterested glance at the huddled body of Onna-Ranma before smirking at Akane again. "That's hardly a mortal wound I gave him. I told you- this is about suffering, and physical pain ends once you're dead. He'll be on his feet eventually…" His eyes narrowed and he cast an analytic eye over her. "Hm. So that's it."

Akane drew in a shuddering breath and readied her sword again, but shakily. "_What's_ it?"

Astaroth snorted. "You bear a mark from that blasted Phoenix God. Of course… it all makes perfect sense; no wonder you can't be burned. A Lazarus Mark from one who controls fire and life energy, of _course_ it would react to your bloodline power." He lifted his left hand; the saya to his katana clattered across the rooftop from where it had fallen, flipped once and shot into his waiting palm. "Not that it matters much; there are other weapons besides fire." The sword slid back into its sheath, then cracked down, causing the section of roof beneath Akane's feet to explode in a maelstrom of dust. Akane flinched, then swung directly through the cloud, cleaving the air with the whole length of her sword in one giant crescent sweep.

"You use the reach of your weapon well, Tendo," Astaroth's voice echoed. "But you'll have to do better if you want to even _hit_ me." A shadow flashed through the cloud of dust, the sound of his sword being drawn- and suddenly he was in her face, carving with multiple sharp jabs that broke through the defense of Akane's oversized o-dachi. Shallow gashes opened on her upper arms, her left thigh and just below her rib cage as he pressed the attack with speed verging on Ranma's own- and just as fast as he had begun, the slashes ceased and he lashed out with a side kick that sent her, coughing and bleeding, to the ground.

Astaroth reached up and straightened the high collar of his long white coat. "You're both quite tenacious, aren't you," he purred. "No wonder it turned out impossible to drive you two apart… even with every obstacle Yoko and her brethren threw your way. You and Saotome… just too _stubborn_ to accept adversity."

Akane felt a tear course down her cheek as she struggled to flare her aura and stop the blood that was trickling slowly down her arms. _This can't be how it all ends… not like this… Ranma, I don't know what to do…_

"I must confess, it was a nice try." Astaroth began to laugh. "Your pig-tailed lover thinking that I could be made to bleed by a woman's hand, rather than by a male. How utterly _laughable._" He cracked his knuckles and his eyes continued to bore into Akane. "And to think, he almost had it right… but incomplete nevertheless. He may be a perfect fusion of man and woman, yet to bridge the gap between man and _beast_…" He reached down and grabbed the collar of her sleeveless vest, yanking her to her feet. "Only someone who can master all _three_ has any hope of drawing my blood. And that is something he can _never_ do."

Akane began to shake; the chill emanating from his eyes was almost too much for her to handle. It felt like she was slipping back into her own mind… memories were beginning to cloud her field of vision, painful memories. Times from early childhood, having to make it without her mother… the humiliation of the Grade School _Romeo and Juliet,_ harassment from Junior High boys, Kuno's attentions, the Hentai Horde… then further, more painful memories. Scores of incidents where she had insulted or beaten up one boy- no, young man- who had had just as hard a life, if not more, and had always been there for her at the lowest points… and once again she found herself horrified by the way she had acted.

Another tear escaped her eye. _And now he's lying over there with a hole in his gut… oh Kami, Ranma, please don't die on me!_

"Yes… magnificent." Astaroth's voice took on an almost musical tone. "Now you realize why I couldn't just kill you two outright. _True_ pain… the kind that destroys completely… takes a great deal of time. Much like a game of chess, you see. If I'd simply wanted you and Saotome dead, I could have had Yoko do any number of things. She could have given him an extra hard shove during a balance exercise." He ran a thumb just under Akane's eye. "Or perhaps she could have allowed a Ryugenzawa beast to do you in all those years ago." He paused, and his smile turned particularly cruel.

"Or she could have allowed a car to hit _you_ instead of Michiko."

Akane's eyes snapped open, just as he began to laugh again. "Yes… I told you, this isn't about death. It was about making those connected to that _accursed_ Happosai suffer as much as possible. In Saotome's case, it wasn't too hard… a little prodding of the father was all it took to make his life living hell. And for you…" His thumbnail began to dig into her cheek. "To think how much anger and repressed pain came about from Michiko Tendo being in the wrong place at the wrong time… yes, those injuries were _quite_ serious weren't they? And just when it seemed she might get better… oh, dear me, a sudden complication?" He brought his mouth close to Akane's ear. "Yes… she suffered, too, thinking of what would happen to you and your sisters. And her poor, pathetic husband, Soun. Just like you suffer now, knowing _you can do nothing to destroy me._"

"LET HER GO!"

The white-haired man's head jerked up at the sudden outburst. Brusquely throwing Akane to the ground again, he turned and gripped the hilt of his sword. His eyes widened very briefly, then narrowed. Ranma was standing in a slight crouch, in his male body, one hand pressed against the wound in his side. Akane could just make out a sizeable bloodstain on his shirt, but the flow seemed to have stopped. In his left hand he clutched his sword, once again in wakizashi form, and his eyes were burning with an intensity she had never seen before.

"On your feet already," Astaroth scowled. "Even with that scratch, you still presume to fight."

"I've always been a fast healer," Ranma retorted. "And now I'm gonna make you pay for what you just did to her."

"Either you still haven't grasped the obvious, or you have a death wish." A quick tug, and Astaroth's sword-cane was unsheathed again. "Perhaps you'll have to taste Zangyaku's edge a few more times."

"Bite me, scum." Ranma spun his sword once, sliding it back into its sheath with one flick of the wrist. "I'm startin' to get _real_ sick of all yer goddamn preaching. Just one word after another with ya, ain't it? I told ya once already, _shut up._" His blue eyes locked onto Astaroth's violet ones- and without warning, the air around him exploded in a maelstrom of red and gold light. White pinpricks of ki danced along his right hand and across the puncture in his flesh, and gradually Ranma's stance grew straighter until finally he released the pressure on the wound. He gritted his teeth and reached up with both hands, taking hold of his shirtsleeves and tearing them off at the shoulder… and as he did, his aura seemed to jump _again._ Akane blinked hard; for a brief instant, it appeared as though Ranma was engulfed in _two_ auras- one red, one gold- which just as quickly merged to form a blaze of white light far greater than any aura she had ever seen him manifest before.

Astaroth stared, unblinking, for a long moment before lifting his sword up to eye level. "Fascinating, boy. So you've managed to tap the ki of both yin and yang… at the same time, without changing forms either." Violet ki began to seep from Zangyaku, down his arm, until he was wreathed in menacing purple light. "I had speculated you might reach this point, given time… assuming you could break your tie with Akureiko. Congratulations. You _are_ the perfect fusion of man and woman in one form." The demon's aura flared violently, kicking up dust and knocking Akane- who was struggling to her feet- down to one knee again. "A pity you'll never be able to use that merged ki to its full potential."

Ranma's glare was unwavering. "Lemme guess. Missing one piece of the puzzle, otherwise I'd be able ta make you bleed."

"Quite." The demon's eyes narrowed. "Shall we finish this?"

"Ranma, don't do this," Akane pleaded, staggering up and leaning against Kasumi and Nodoka's cage. "We've got to get out of here, if you keep pushing things you're gonna get yourself killed for real! Don't you remember? Shingen told us to buy time, that's all! We've done all we can… and you _know_ I hate it when you push yourself like this…"

_Don't worry, Acchan. I've got this all under control._

Akane blinked. She could 'hear' some of his usual bravado in the Link, only this time it was tempered by iron determination and a great deal of anger. _Under control? Ranma, have you lost your mind? You hit him with everything you could and he still isn't bleeding!_

Ranma turned his head imperceptibly and threw her a small smile. _You're wrong… I haven't hit him with everything yet._ He drew in a short, sharp breath. _When I give you the signal, I need ya to use that sword of yours and try to break Mom an' Kasumi out of that box. Then get 'em off the roof and keep them safe. Once you're all clear… then I can really cut loose._

The panicky impulses in Akane's brain started to lessen; there was something else welling up inside Ranma that she could feel through the Astral. His confidence was growing- but so too was nervousness. _Ranma… what are you planning?_

He swallowed hard. _Simple. He just gave away the thing I need to defeat him._

To Be Continued.

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Author's Note 7/4/06: Yes, I have returned after a too-long hiatus and a bout of writer's block. And why, you may ask, don't I finish the battle here and now? Simply put, it would take too long and too much space, so I'm having to break it into two parts. Not to mention the developments continued to change as I was writing. Rest assured, the Tempest is not over yet… everything is coming to a close in the next few chapters. And some of you may have already guessed what's about to happen… but don't spill the beans too quickly, please.

Most of the attacks listed in this chapter have been described previously. _Engetsu Raikou-ken_, Ranma's improvised attack, can translate as Crescent Moon Lightning Strike… an Amaguriken-powered dual-sword technique, with the crescent moon referring to the sweep of Nibaikotsu's unlocked form. For fans of the manga/anime series _Bleach_, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyoraku wields a two-blade _zanpakuto_ named Katen Kyokotsu; its released(shikai) state, that of two large scimitars, bears some resemblance to the two-blade version of Ranma's sword. (Admittedly, I had not intended for Ranma's Nibaikotsu to resemble Kyoraku's weapon that closely, and didn't realize it until I watched that particular episode of _Bleach_.)

The title of this chapter comes from the song of the same name, off the _Initial D_ soundtrack.

I will endeavor to continue as soon as possible, but I am still quite busy these days- I am in the process of moving house one bit at a time, hopefully to be completed within the next two months. There's still a lot of work to be done, which could impact my writing- but hopefully the next installment won't take nearly as long as this one did. Happy 4th of July, and keep those reviews coming. Until next time.

Neon Ronin


	42. White Light

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. And with that said, we continue.

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 42: White Light

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The carnage permeating the Furinkan courtyard had grown to absurd proportions as more and more creatures spewed forth from the Portal. Ki blasts, battle cries and countless shouts of aggravation ripped through the air as a handful of warriors struggled to both hold back the demonic horde and punch through their front lines. Not only were the demons' numbers growing, each beast that emerged from the rune pit seemed larger than the one before- inordinately tall humanoids sporting twisted horns, bone growths resembling spiked armor, or the heads of assorted animals. Their addition to the melee had slowed the warriors' advance to a crawl- or more appropriately, a standstill.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Shingen bellowed, thrashing Karasuhebi in another corkscrew-style strike, exhaustion creeping onto his face rapidly. The serpentine blade quickly ground a number of lesser demons to powder and tore the flesh of their larger cousins, flecking the ground with white specks and splotches. The chorus of angered growls that responded did nothing to improve his mood; with a quick yank, he reined in his blade, turned in a quick circle and slashed the chest of a red-skinned oni approaching on his right. _This is getting us nowhere,_ he fumed. _They're coming through so fast they've got us completely deadlocked! The others can't hold out much longer, and the longer it takes to close the damn thing, the worse our chances get!_

"SHIN-KUN, LOOK OUT!" The tall Hunter quickly snapped to attention; there was a flash of metal just to his left, followed by a loud CLANG as Ukyo's combat spatula met the snout of an enraged Hell Hound. The beast dropped back, scrabbling at its bleeding maw as two of its pack-mates lunged at Ukyo's face, but both quickly met their end as her spatula and Shingen's naginata cleaved off their heads. She frantically wiped her forehead and spun her weapon in a tight circle, batting two imps away before turning her attention back to her de facto teammate. "You okay, sugar? Ya barely even saw that freak before I clocked him!"

"You ought to be more concerned about yourself, Ukyo!" He jammed a fist into his battered jacket and peppered the surrounding area with runic darts; their sigils quickly ignited, sending a low-grade wave of positive ki through the ground that caused the horde to slow and snarl in aggravation. "It's not that I don't appreciate the heads-up… fact, you probably saved _my_ butt this time… but with the way this is going, you might want to think about getting out of here!"

"Like HELL I'm getting out of here!" She shot him a quick glare before flinging another handful of throwing spatulas into the mix. "If I told ya once, I told ya a hundred times- they're my friends, too! And I ain't about to leave them OR you behind!"

"I hope someone's not talkin' about us leaving, 'cause I NEVER run from a fight if I can help it! BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" A quick spin and a thrust, and a horrific crunch echoed through the courtyard as Ryoga smashed one of the extruded black pillars lining the front path- or more appropriately, smashed a hole in the base of the pillar that caused it to fall forward. Ryoga sidestepped in front of the descending obelisk, caught it in both hands and hefted it over his head. "They ain't letting us through? Well then, we just BUST our way in!" With a roar, he brandished the massive pillar like a battering ram, clearing a swath of demonkin out of his way- then, with an adroit hand shift, turned it into an oversized javelin and hurled it into the thickest cluster of larger monsters. The screams from the five oni he impaled were bloodcurdling.

For a moment, the horde's advance froze in shock, giving the six a chance to push forward again. Konatsu began to weave in and out of the fray, creating as much havoc as he could and leaving three oni hamstrung and crippled with his sword. Ryoga toppled another pillar and broke it in two, then pulverized one of the pieces with the Breaking Point, turning it into an impromptu Claymore mine. Mousse brought his paired swords up in a parallel grip, settling into a low battle stance that abruptly turned into a blinding barrage of slashes across numerous ogres' chests, arms and at least one face. One ogre swiped the white blood from his forearm and charged Mousse- then found himself falling forward as Shampoo's bonbori cracked him hard in the knees. His arms flailed out to break his fall- and the oni's eyes widened as the double impact of bonbori to the gut and twin T'ai Chi swords to the chest halted his descent before throwing him to one side.

For a few brief moments, the stalemate appeared to be broken- but almost as fast as it had begun, the demons' retreat halted and reversed direction, and now it was the six who had to give ground. Shampoo began to curse herself for not being strong enough. "First evil thing take Shampoo's hair, now they try to kill all!" She lashed out, barely parrying a centipede's slavering maw as her prior wounds began to reassert themselves. She could feel a new bruise flowering just along her shoulder blades, right where the arachnid had chopped her hair and tried to sever her neck. "This no good; bird-man make Shampoo too, too weak in shadow maze…"

"Don't talk like that! We can't just give up now, my love; we're fighting for our kinsmen now!" Mousse shrugged off the remains of his long robe, which fell to the ground heavily, leaving him in pants and shoes. Four airborne serpents came at him from separate directions; he took a quick hop and spun in midair, the tips of his swords leaving trails of light as he eviscerated each of them. "It's the way of our people, Xian Pu- in matters like this, we don't think of losing! Or have you forgotten everything that old mummy taught you since you were small?"

Shampoo's eyes widened; not only had Mousse pointed out something she had told herself she would never forget, but without his robe, she quickly saw his own wounds had started bleeding again, notably the gashes where Kurowashi's chains had flayed him. _Mousse… you ignoring own pain again… this fight far greater than what we ready for, yet still you push self…_ A burst of adrenaline shot through her system and she snapped her weapons to attention. "Shampoo no forget lessons! No forget Amazon way! AIYAH!" With a deadly scream that hearkened back to the most ancient of Amazons, she flung herself back into battle, smashing and kicking her way past anything she could.

_If Mousse fight while hurt, Shampoo fight, too! No let him take all the pain on self…_ A brief flicker of pride crossed her face. _Besides, I no want say I less brave than Amazon male._ The proud look didn't last long, quickly dissolving into a giggle- which in turn was replaced by a gasp as more demonkin surged forward, slamming into her and Mousse at the same time. Ki danced in scything arcs as his twin swords swept into demon flesh, severing the head of a toad-like monster and the arm of a giant rat creature that seemed afflicted with mange- but more creatures stood right behind, ready to take the place of the fallen.

Shingen's vision began to blur as he poured more and more of his ki reserves into the battle. His chain blade ripped two animal-headed ogres in half, but his senses grimly reminded him that more were coming through. He heard the sound of Ryoga getting slammed in the shoulder by a wolf-man, followed by Ryoga punching the beast and breaking its jaw. He could feel Ukyo just behind him, brandishing her spatula defensively, and heard her trash-talking the amorphous black slime that was trying to devour her, weapon and all. _They fight well,_ he thought, cracking an oni across the jaw with the butt of his naginata. _And they're putting up a good front. But they're wearing themselves out… just like I'm wearing myself out. If we hadn't spent so much energy getting through that godforsaken Shadow Maze…_

_Damn it! I shouldn't have let them come with me! I shouldn't have put them all in this damnable place; this is Hunter business! If they fall, their blood's on my hands… but blast their pride, they STILL won't run now that we've come this far!_ A ragged breath crossed his lips. _And if they do run, they'll likely be cut down the moment they turn their backs… and I can't last against an active Portal by myself. Kami, what do I do now… we can't keep at this stalemate forever!_ He began to grit his teeth, barely felt the nearest ogre with the head of a horse punch him in the shoulder, knocking him back half a pace. His eyes trailed to the person he stood back to back with, and a surge of guilt roiled up within. _I shouldn't have gotten you dragged into this, Ukyo…_

A sudden shriek brought his attention back to the beast in front of him- and his eyes widened. There was a silvered arrow sticking into the demon's chest, just below the neck. The horse-head gurgled, wide-eyed, then dropped to its knees; Shingen came to his senses and slashed its throat open with a backhand swipe. A slow smile spread across his face and he twisted to look behind him.

_Took me longer than I planned to catch up, niisan… but now that I made it, what say we get this party started?_

A relieved laugh escaped Shingen's lips as he caught sight of Reika standing atop one of the houses just across from Furinkan. Her hair was whipping about in the wind and he could hear the tiredness in her own Astral voice, but the eager grin she was sporting could be seen a mile away. "I got just five words for you, little sis- DAMN, I'm glad to see ya!" he hollered over the din.

"That's _six_ words, bro!" She dropped into a crouch and drew another arrow from her quiver. "And I'm not alone, either… bumped into some helping hands along the way!" She nocked the arrow to her bowstring. "_Spread your wings, Komadori!_" The compound bow blazed with a pale lavender aura; metal sheathings sprouted from the grip, encasing her left hand in a polished gauntlet and locking the bow in place as it grew to a size greater than a traditional Japanese longbow. "HARIMURE!" The arrow was released, immediately bursting into hundreds of needle-like quarrels that proceeded to rain down into the courtyard. Larger demons screamed as the bolts found their eyes and numerous nerve junctures, while a great swath of imps exploded like gray balloons.

A rush of euphoria surged up inside the six on the ground, and they were just about to press their advance again when a great shadow passed over them. Ryoga froze in place and glanced skyward. "Wait a minute… is that who I THINK it is?" Konatsu's mouth dropped open as he looked up, but he didn't say anything. Shingen began to wonder exactly who Reika was referring to as her 'helping hands'- and the next moment, the shadow grew larger and two people quite literally dropped out of the sky. One, a dark-haired girl in a leotard with her hair pulled back and a gymnast's ribbon in hand, and the other a muscular young man about Ranma's height in army fatigue pants and equipment straps hanging from his shoulders. Seconds later, the demon horde gasped in surprise and the pavement shook as a winged minotaur with tentacles and a snakelike tail hit the ground, his hooves leaving deep impressions.

"Holy smokes…" Ukyo gasped. "Talk about callin' in the cavalry!"

Ryu Kumon cracked his knuckles and glared at the beast-filled courtyard. "So _this_ is what Saotome's gotten himself into this time?" A wicked grin lit up his face as he counted off dozens of seven-foot-plus oni in front of him. "Now _this_ is my kind of a challenge." _Once I blaze through this batch of freaks, he'll HAVE to grant my request. Just you wait, Ranma…_

Kodachi paled slightly, then swallowed and nodded in agreement. "I'd be lying if I said I was expecting to face such monstrosities as these…" She snapped the ribbon taut. "But I swore on my honor I would repay those I have wronged. And I will _not_ have it said I reneged on my word." She threw a playful wink in Ryu's direction. "Shall we discipline these beasts, Kumon-sama?"

Ryu rolled his eyes and smirked. "Discipline nothing. I'm just gonna kick some ass."

A wolf-headed demon barked savagely and broke from the front lines, claws bared and teeth snapping like a rabid dog. An instant later, it flew backwards as Beast-Taro broke its jaw and neck with one punch. With a roar, the minotaur ducked low and charged, clotheslining two oni with his arms and goring a third on his horns. Howls and screams swept through the hordes of demons, and once again all hell broke loose- but with the introduction of four fresh warriors, the battle quickly began to turn.

"Senju Konbo revised! BATON THUNDERSTORM!" Kodachi twisted and sprang into the air, pulling clubs seemingly from nowhere and hurling them in all directions, one after another, as her ribbon twirled in spirals around her body. Several larger beasts scoffed at the wooden projectiles, barely tapping them on the skin- but the scoffs turned to snarls as each baton burst, releasing a different chemical agent on its target- smoke, pepper spray, even hydrochloric acid, to name a few. She backflipped in midair, landed gingerly in the midst of a squad of lesser oni and began ripping through them with the razor edge of her ribbon. "Kumon-sama! That girl who brought us here said we must reach that blazing pit; canst thou clear us a path?"

"Just watch me!" Ryu finished punching a crocodile-headed thing into submission, spun on one heel and drew his arms in. "KIJIN RAISHU DAN!" A low-grade sonic boom wracked the courtyard as his vacuum blades smashed through a contingent of larger oni, tearing them to shreds; those standing behind the decimated ranks stared blankly for an instant, which quickly made them a target for Shingen's re-extended Chain Blade attack. This time, the corkscrew hit so suddenly there was little chance for them to defend, resulting in a hole opening up in the cadre of demons beyond which the lights of the pit could barely be seen.

Taro, for his part, had gone into a rampage, laying into anything that got within reach, which at the moment was an awful lot. Imps and lesser beasts he was strangling with his tentacles, while bigger ones were on the receiving end of his fists. The beast-man smashed two Hell Hounds into a nearby stone pillar, then grinned wickedly, grabbed the same pillar and wrenched it out of the ground. Spinning around, he began to play baseball with the horde, cutting a swath with his new 'bat' that made Ryoga quite envious and proceed to dive in with his umbrella, knocking one foe aside after another. Reika loosed another needle swarm from her sniper's post, while Mousse and Shampoo began to gang up on some of the larger creatures; she would smash its knees, then he would duck in, strike at the arms, then thrust at the chest and throat- and with every strike, the aura from his swords seemed to strengthen him a little more. It didn't take long before the horde's numbers started thinning and the line of sight to the Portal grew clearer.

_Bro, you'd better get in there and try setting wards FAST, there's some pretty nasty ki building up on the rooftop!_ Reika narrowed her eyes, focusing on one section of the demon army. _I'm taking one more shot; once I do, MOVE IT! Those two kids can't hold the Big Boss much longer!_ "HARIMURE!"

A concentrated burst of needle-shot exploded less than three feet from where Shingen and Ukyo had just dispatched a ram's-head ogre, causing her to jump back and Konatsu to jackrabbit out of the horde; the attack had almost caught the kunoichi in the leg. Rock and demon blood scattered in all directions as two bloated, three-headed things took the full force of the attack, and as they disintegrated, Shingen saw the narrow path left behind.

_I see it!_ "FALL BACK! I'm going in; don't fight any more than you have to! You've done more than enough already!" He crouched low and his form blurred, shooting through the momentary gap like a bullet with Karasuhebi flashing about in all directions. Screeches of pain echoed in his ears as he closed in on the outer edge of the Portal, one hand reaching into his jacket. He barely felt the impact as several beasts punched and clawed at him, tearing the shoulder of his jacket and exposing a semirigid armor plate beneath; all he felt was the paper shielding ward that he drew from his pocket and slapped on the ground. The fire coming from the pit edged away from the ward, but still threatened to sear his flesh.

He dropped his naginata and began flinging throwing knives in a precise pattern around the Portal, followed by half a dozen more wards, intricately scribed power wards that landed in the center of the ki vortex. Sparks began to fly as the wards reacted, slowing the emergence of more demonkin- but only just. On the periphery of his sight, he heard more screams as Ryu barged into an ogre squad and unleashed something that _sounded_ nasty; Shingen had no idea what it was that had happened, this 'Kijin Dai Ran Bu'- but he saw the end result as the ogres were shredded in a vacuum blade maelstrom, and those that did survive were batted away by Taro's fists or impaled by Mousse's glowing Sun Blade. Shingen redirected his attention, threw more shield wards around himself and began to chant an Aramaic incantation- when something happened.

A gout of blinding white ki literally erupted from the rooftop above, causing _everyone,_ demon and human, to stop and stare. Seconds later, it was joined by a flaring of deep indigo that was hardly blinding, but no less intense or nerve-wracking. The two auras sent tremors through the school's walls and into the foundation; the sky seemed ready to crack open.

Shingen gritted his teeth and snapped his hands into warding positions. _I haven't got much time left… just hold on, you two. And DON'T try anything stupid…_

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"You've more guts than most men alive, Ranma Saotome." Astaroth's grip on his sword tightened slightly as his lips curled in a nasty sneer. "Too bad guts doesn't win wars." His ivory longcoat whipped in the wind, and abruptly he closed the distance between them with a forward thrust; Ranma sidestepped to the left as the sword sheared through his shirt just below the ribs, leaving a shallow gash in his flesh. The white-haired demon slashed to his right, passing dangerously close to Ranma's nose as he bent backwards beneath the swing. Ranma dropped low and lashed out with a handstand side kick, which Astaroth quickly parried with his scabbard before resheathing his sword and firing a ki bolt into Ranma's chest at point-blank range.

The blow sent him skidding across the surface of the roof; Astaroth's body blurred and he became a whirlwind of low strikes, alternately thrusting at the prone martial artist with sword and scabbard in either hand. "I know you, boy. I know how much you like to dance about, tiring out your enemy and using your speed to your advantage. I've watched you a _long_ time, boy." Ranma ducked, rolled and tumbled, each time barely evading a strike while at the same time reaching into his slashed-open shirt. _I just hope to Kami I didn't drop the damn thing on the way over here…_ A smirk crossed his face as his fingers closed on a smallish book-shaped bundle wrapped in brown paper, stashed just behind his belt.

"You know as well as I do, boy… dodging's only going to prolong it." The scabbard cracked down again, only this time by his left side- and the roof surged upward as ceramic and concrete re-molded itself, blasting Ranma skyward. He flipped in mid-air, just in time to see Astaroth bound upwards and just as quickly disappear- and reappear behind him, bringing Zangyaku across Ranma's shoulders and sending him crashing to the ground. Akane screamed as Astaroth landed next to Ranma and swung again, when Ranma rolled up and threw the package directly into the path of the blade. The paper quickly sheared open; Astaroth blinked in momentary confusion before Ranma drove his foot into the demon's solar plexus, knocking them apart as he stood up in a sudden swirl of dozens of scraps released from the package.

"Ranma, for Kami's sake what are you _doing? What was that supposed to be?_" Akane's right hand, which had never relinquished its grip on her sword, was almost totally white from the strength of her grip. She began to bring it up- and suddenly caught a glimpse of one of the scraps that was dancing through the air.

"J-just something I g-got the libr-rarian to p-p-put together for me… d-did it during b-break, didn't t-think I'd wind up usin' it this s-soon…" She could hear the panic rising in his voice, matching what she felt through the Astral, and as she caught sight of a few more scraps a chill began to flood her system as well. Each scrap was a photo of a cat… dozens of them, large and small, dancing in the air currents formed by Ranma's raging battle aura. Moreover, he was making no effort to look away as they spiraled around him, a veritable tornado of photographs.

Astaroth's eyes widened. "I do _not_ believe this… you're trying to use the Neko-ken, aren't you?" He strode forward, bringing Zangyaku's scabbard up with his left hand. "Are you _that_ desperate?" The sheath cracked Ranma across the jaw and threw him back just over a yard; as he fell, he grabbed handfuls of photos out of midair with trembling fingers and forcibly shoved them into his face, rolling into a crouch.

Astaroth spat derisively. "So it's reached this point, has it. You've plumbed the depths of your resources and decided to place your bet on a _broken_ Art." He strode forward and kicked Ranma in the side, then smashed him across the face with his scabbard again; blood spilled to the ground, but Ranma refused to give up the photos. "A useless gambit, Saotome. Once you drive yourself into that state, you're nothing but an animal. _No_ control." Another kick to the head. "_NO_ mastery of the Beast. _NOBODY_ has ever mastered that technique, not since a lunatic monk invented it over a century ago." Low slash, cutting a furrow into Ranma's left quadriceps. "Oh, don't misunderstand me. It's a valiant effort… but it won't work."

"_STOP IT! You're killing him!_" Akane raised Kongousekitou and charged towards Astaroth like a raging bull, tears blurring her vision as she kicked her legs into high gear and became a blur herself. The white-haired man turned just as her crystalline sword pierced his side and came out the other, but failed to produce any blood. He lifted his left hand, and just as quickly Akane found herself thrown back again by a vicious backhand scabbard blow. The giant sword fell from her grip as she hit the roof tile, and several clasps on her yellow vest burst open.

"You seem to forget, girl. _That's the point._" He laughed icily and whirled around, leveling a hard glare at the crouched, shaking form of Ranma, who had finally dropped the photos. "I suppose I must give you some credit- you always _try_ to find a way to win. But you have no control over the Beast… and without that, it's best to surrender to the fall of the executioner's sword." He lifted Zangyaku high over his head. Akane gasped in pain and pushed up onto her elbows just as the sword began to fall. Nodoka squeezed her eyes shut and beat at the bars of her prison as Kasumi began to stir.

Everything seemed to slow down as the blade descended, inch by inch, towards the top of Ranma's head.

_No,_ Akane mentally pleaded. _Don't take him from me… no… Ranma, I need you! NO!_

There was a sudden clang- and a sharp intake of breath.

Astaroth's eyes widened in complete shock. "What… are… you…"

Ranma's palms had slapped together at the last instant, trapping the sword just as it was about to strike home. "_Who says I haven't got control?_" His head jerked up and Astaroth's eyes met his- only now his irises had turned from blue to golden, and his pupils had pinched inward- into vertical slits. A predatory grin broke over his face and he shoved upwards in a sudden display of power and speed that knocked the demon off balance. There was a sudden flurry of motion, a crash and a sharp cutting sound, and Ranma was crouched _behind_ Astaroth on one knee, both hands drawn close to his chest. He straightened his back, flexed the fingers on both hands before he drew up to his full height with a slow, fluid grace that seemed more feline than human.

The scabbard in Astaroth's left hand broke in three places midway along its length, its pieces clattering to the ground. An instant later, he dropped the remaining piece and brought his hand, shaking, up to his left cheek, tracing the three gashes that had appeared in the flesh. His breath hissed through his teeth as he felt black blood welling out of the wounds, trickling down his face. Akane's eyes locked first on the wound, then traveled to Ranma, her expression becoming a mixture of shock, amazement, and unbridled relief.

Astaroth spun around, glaring at the back of Ranma's head; his eyes were dilated in shock and anger. "Impossible…" He stared at the blood on his fingers. "IMPOSSIBLE!"

Ranma turned slowly, leveling a calm, dangerous look at the demon. "You've been watchin' me so long, ya should've figured it out by now… I _always_ find a way to win. Even if the thing I gotta fight is inside me." He thrust his fists out to either side in a loose stance, his aura flared again, surging to a level above and beyond what he had reached before- and as memories of the dreamscape dojo abruptly re-emerged in his mind's eye, he roared.

--------------------

_Earlier that very morning…_

_The walls of the dreamscape shook with the force of a bloodcurdling shriek as the man-beast crumpled to his knees. Ranma stood in a low crouch, his body covered in contusions and lacerations, but the sword still clutched tight in his hand; next to him, Ranko was in much the same condition. Both on the verge of total collapse, but unwilling to surrender to the beast before them._

_The scream quickly died down… replaced by a plaintive mewling mixed with choking sobs. Tufts of red and black fur began to fall away, softening the beast's feral appearance as he curled in on himself._

_**No… no more… no hurt, please…**_

_Ranma breathed deep, as did Ranko, tension leaving their faces as they continued to look at the furry boy bleeding and sobbing before them. Ranma let out his breath as a weight seemed to come off his shoulders. "You want to behave now?"_

_Neko-Ranma flinched, then slowly glanced up, looking at Ranma and Ranko with sad feline eyes. **Please, no hurt…**_

"_We're not gonna hurt you," Ranko added, dropping to one knee. "We just need to work things out."_

_**Work… out?**_

_Ranko sighed heavily. "You know as well as both of us that this can't go on. We can't keep on being afraid of you. Or any other cat, for that matter."_

"_If you keep trippin' me up every chance ya get," Ranma added, dropping to one knee as well, "there's gonna be a time when ya trip me up so bad… it might cost all of us something big."_

_Neko-Ranma shook his head, sudden fear on his face. **You want get rid of me… you hate me…**_

"_No, that's not what we're saying," Ranko admonished. "We don't hate you… but we don't appreciate losing control to you. It almost cost us that fight with Kuno, ya know."_

_The beast-boy sat still for a moment, then nodded slowly. **Kuno-Baka tempt me out… make me want to fight, but could not…** He blinked. **I do wrong?**_

"_Lemme try a different angle," Ranma said as he reached out and touched his own feral doppelganger's shoulder- surprised that he didn't feel uncomfortable doing so. "What is it YOU want?"_

_**Want fight… want beat up Fat Bald Panda who mess things up…** Both Ranma and Ranko chuckled slightly. **Want… want use power. Use power to help friends, and…** He paused and turned away slightly. **And… want protect mate…**_

_Ranma blinked hard. "Mate?" His hand squeezed Neko-Ranma's shoulder just enough to draw attention back to him. "You mean Akane, don't you."_

_**Yes… want protect our mate…**_

_Ranko nodded slowly. "Well, so do we. Hell, I think we wanna do near about everything you just listed." She paused, then looked him square in the eye. "But if you keep making us lose it around other cats, then we can't do it the way it should be done."_

_Neko-Ranma blinked. **But… Fat Bald Panda train us. Fear is only way I get out to fight…**_

"_What if we did it another way?" Ranma took hold of the beast-boy's shoulders and pulled him into a standing position. "I'm tired of being freaked by cats, and you're tired of being locked up when I'm NOT freaking. But I need your power every once in a while. My own power- or Ranko's- sometimes just isn't enough."_

_The boy's eyes widened. **You would let me free?**_

"_Look, pal, yer just as much a part of me as Ranko is, and that's something I want to learn to live with." Ranma's eyes became serious. "I can't let you out ALL the time. And I HAVE to be in control of things, otherwise who knows what could happen. Do ya see what I'm trying to say?"_

_There was a long period of silence._

_**You free me to be part of you… I give you power… and I can protect mate?**_

"_We can all protect her. But once I let you free, ya gotta let me be in control. And I won't be able to let you out all day, every day."_

_The boy bowed his head. **You beat me here… I wait many years for you to tame me. You no kill me… so I help you.** A hesitant, fanged smile emerged on his face. **You face fear once more… then we work together.**_

--------------------

The roar that escaped Ranma's throat was more powerful than any previous Neko-Ken mewling he had ever done- more on par with that of a lion. "Looks to me like ya got something on yer face, Astaroth," he drawled in an icy voice, bringing his hands up and flexing his fingers again; barely-visible white shards of light seemed to dance across his fingernails. "How's it feel to know this 'pathetic Saotome' just made ya bleed?"

"DAMN YOU!" The demon's eyes took on a shade of violet so dark as to be almost pure black, and he sprang forward with sword whistling through the air. He feinted to the top, left, and several additional directions almost simultaneously before right-stepping and driving the blade at Ranma's neck. There was a teeth-jarring crash as Ranma swept outward and parried Zangyaku with his fingers, pushing the blade up and out as the two separated. Neither warrior took notice, but a hint of a line slowly appeared on the sword's edge.

Ranma grinned, crouched low and leaped high in the air- and promptly disappeared from plain sight. Astaroth grunted furiously as Ranma re-appeared behind him; he turned and slashed with unbelievable speed, but Ranma just as quickly disappeared again. The demon spun in a half-circle, lashing out as Ranma appeared again and vanished before the blade struck. Akane stared in wonder as Ranma began to move so fast, it looked as though there were two dozen of him, running circles around the white-haired demon who thrust and cut without ever making contact- and suddenly the myriad of Ranmas ceased and one single Ranma ducked in, punched Astaroth twice in the gut, uppercut him across the chin, then bounded up and executed a standing dropkick that sent the demon flying. He gasped and righted himself in midair, landing in a crouch just in time for Ranma to zip into his face and thrust upward with his wakizashi. The blade caught him in the side and would have gone all the way through- if Astaroth hadn't clamped his left hand around the blade at the last second, halting its progress.

Anger lines marred the demon's face; the three gashes in his cheek had begun to close of their own volition, but he could feel their lingering pain, as well as the sticker in his side that had begun to bleed more black ichors. "You… _worm_. You _impudent worm!_" His left hand flashed up and outward, unleashing a ki blast that dislodged the sword from the wound and sent Ranma flying backwards , though it hardly seemed to faze him. Astaroth cracked his neck and his aura began to flare again, pulsing in time to some unheard heartbeat.

"I don't know how you did that… but it would seem that the time for play is now over." His aura changed from violet to blackish-red, causing his hair to dance madly about. "It's been far too long since I fought _any_ human with my full strength… in a way, you should consider yourself honored, Saotome." A sudden rush of ki tore the top of his coat from neck to waist; quickly the fabric burst and disintegrated, leaving Astaroth bare-chested as his skin took on a deep crimson shade and two horns jutted from the top of his forehead. The hole in his side slowly closed, leaving a trail of black on his stomach as he gripped his sword in both hands.

"Oh… so now you're gonna fight me full-power?" Ranma smirked and grasped his own sword, pulling in opposing directions and splitting it into its double-broadsword form. "Wouldn't want it any other way." His eye flickered in Akane's direction; meeting her stare, he gave her a minute, sharp nod. _Acchan… NOW!_

A thunderclap ripped the sky above them as dark clouds began to gather, drawn to the sudden chill in the air as Ranma's aura dropped to Arctic levels. A gust of wind whipped Akane's hair about her head as she staggered up, eyes widening momentarily as frost began to form beneath Ranma's feet. She clutched her clan blade tightly and turned towards the rooftop prison cell- just as demon and Hunter collided in a ki explosion that threatened to knock her down again.

The two warrior's auras collided violently for an instant, repulsing one another before Astaroth's aura shifted, likening itself to Ranma's and dropping the ambient temperature even more. The demon seemed to teleport from across the roof to Ranma's face as he charged, then slashed hard and fast, gouging the roof but just missing Ranma's feet. The pigtailed teen somersaulted over the demon's head, twisting in mid-descent and slamming his foot into the small of his foe's back- but the blow only partially connected as Astaroth spun and blocked with his forearm, pushing Ranma away. He tumbled across the roof, planted his feet and charged again, his twin blades slicing the air in deadly arcs. Coupled with his already-ridiculous Neko speed, Ranma had literally become a human tornado.

He was practically on top of Astaroth when the demon stepped to one side at the last second, the left-hand half of Nibaikotsu leaving a shallow trail of ebony blood across his chest- but little else. Ranma's eyes narrowed and his inner beast began to rage. _Seems he got a little faster too…_

"That's _thrice_ I've bled because of you, filth." He jammed his sword into his belt sash and flexed his fingers; with little warning, three bone claws burst from the back of each hand and his dark eyes seemed to bore into Ranma's. "I'll take your blood as payment, _fifty times over._" Ranma barely had time to snap his swords up in a block before Astaroth closed the gap between them, fists flying and impacting the metal with a force he'd only felt from some of his hardest battles- and then some. Seven times the demon thrust at his face, chest and stomach, and six times Ranma blocked in the last instant, until finally the seventh broke his defense and punctured his left shoulder. The force of the punch sent him flying backwards, into one of the obelisks adorning the roof.

"Damn… got a little clumsy blockin' with this." He slammed the two broadswords together, re-forming them into his wakizashi which was promptly thrust back into its saya. "Guess I'll just have to fight ya barehanded!" His aura flared again, just as Astaroth broke into a series of quick-steps that made it hard to tell where he was going to appear next; to an untrained eye, it looked like the demon was popping into sight at random. Ranma, however, quickly picked up the demon's own icy aura as he moved in a zigzag pattern, until he reached a point where Ranma knew he was building up for one final charge. Kicking off from the obelisk, he vanished into the Umisen-ken and collided with Astaroth dead-on, barreling him into a second obelisk on the other side of the roof. The demon snarled, grappled Ranma's arm and flung him skyward, and the two began trading punches, kicks, spinning backfists and claw swipes at speeds that could be considered physically impossible.

"Akureiko failed to destroy you." Claw punch, followed by a ki burst which Ranma barely deflected. "Onibuta failed as well. Ogui was useless. Sumire should _not_ have failed." Reverse aerial roundhouse, claw swipe, double punch which was intercepted; Astaroth's face turned irate when Ranma's left shin caught him across the face and sent him into the top of one obelisk. He planted his feet just as Ranma landed on the far obelisk, and the two sprang skyward again. "Even Kurowashi, the Hidden One… I don't know how you managed to evade everything I prodded you into, Saotome, but mark my words. _I will kill you, and that girl will join you in the depths of Hell!_"

"_You leave Acchan outta this, you son of a bitch!_" Their auras collided again- and just as Astaroth was lunging in with another claw punch, he felt Ranma's hand close around his wrist and yank forward. Ranma's body twisted, somersaulting over the demon's arm…

White-gold light encased his right hand, balled into a fist…

Thunder cracked the air at the same instant Ranma's knuckles drove into Astaroth's spine; the impact was so great it sent the two to the ground like a missile, with Ranma still clutching the white-haired demon's wrist in his left hand. With a booming report, they smashed into the roof and continued through it, punching through the third floor and collapsing in a second-story classroom. Concrete, insulation and wiring rained down upon them as Ranma scrambled to his feet, only to gasp as Astaroth retracted his claws and belted him in the chest, sending him through the classroom window and into the hall. The demon burst out of the window and promptly took a double ki claw swipe to his chest; Ranma wasted no time in putting his Neko speed to good use and shoulder-slammed Astaroth, shoving him down the hall and through another classroom's door.

--------------------

Akane stared in wonderment for a few long seconds before reason reasserted itself. _Damn it, this is no time for gawking, you dummy! I've gotta get them out of here!_ "Auntie! Kasumi! Are you okay? Can you move?"

Kasumi shook herself out of her own reverie first. "A…Akane? Y…yes, I think so… but, what on Earth is going on? Why is that… that _beast_ doing all these horrid things? Why did he…"

"Oneechan, I promise you I'll explain everything later, but right now we need to get out of here. It's just too damn dangerous." She tightened her grip on her sword; once more, Kongousekitou's blade lengthened, its diamond luster glinting in the raging light of the flames that were raging from the Portal below. "Stay back from the bars, both of you!" Kasumi nodded and shuffled back; Nodoka did likewise but kept her eyes on the break in the roof Ranma had disappeared into. With a sharp kiai, Akane brought the sword back, took a short step and brought it diagonally across the bars- and thin lines appeared as the molded concrete cut like butter, smooth and easily. Akane turned the sword in her hands, a small victory grin emerging as she executed another cut, horizontally at the base of the cage. She dropped the sword and kicked at the bars, breaking open a triangular hole big enough for Kasumi and Nodoka to slip through.

"It's okay, sis," Akane whispered as she took Kasumi's hand and helped her out. "I'm just glad you're both alright." A moment later, Kasumi was back on her feet and the two were helping Nodoka to her feet. Once they were both free, all three of them grasped one another in a tight hug; Kasumi was crying tears of relief and Nodoka was beginning to shake.

"I never thought I would have seen such sights as I have seen today," Nodoka choked out. "That… that _monster_…" She swallowed hard and looked Akane up and down, biting her lip at each injury she saw. "You're right, we have to get out of here… get away from that beast before he hurts anybody again… but…" Her gaze traveled back to the impact hole, and her face turned white. "Oh no… what do we do about… oh Kami, my baby…"

"It's okay, Auntie," Akane admonished, trying to keep the tremors out of her voice. "This is exactly what we've been training for… Ranma found that thing's weak spot, so it's just a matter of time." She took Nodoka's wrist and Kasumi's, giving each a gentle squeeze. "But if we stay here, Ranma's gonna keep holding back, and we can't afford that right now. Let's go!"

The tiles beneath their feet shuddered violently as a stream of crashes echoed through Furinkan. Kasumi staggered and cried out as she almost fell over, while Nodoka barely managed to retain her balance. Akane shivered; she could feel two giant ki concentrations racing throughout the building, colliding and separating with more force each time. _More than that, if we stay here, the whole roof's gonna cave in beneath us!_ "Let's go!" she cried, tugging on their wrists and making a beeline for the roof's edge. They quickly followed, their pace only slowing each time another impact shook the building. The flames near the broken railing, coming from the Portal three stories down, threatened to burn all three of them the instant they got too close, forcing Akane to change directions and race along the wall to the nearest corner. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as she attempted to remember the location of the nearest fire escape.

The three skidded to a halt just a few feet shy of the building's corner, which was indeed where a fire escape was set up- or had been. The metal rails had been torn clean off the building, leaving a gaping hole. Kasumi gasped and began to sweat, taking one look over the edge before flinching away. "No… please don't tell me we're trapped up here… this can't be happening…"

"What are we going to do now?" Nodoka pondered, fighting to keep her own panicky impulses at bay. "Is there another way down we can get to?" Another vicious crash erupted, blowing out a section of the second floor windows on the other side of the building.

"I… yes, one or two… but they're on the far side of the school, and who knows if they haven't been broken too." Akane began to sweat. "We might be able to get down piggyback-style, if I carry one of you and jump for the pillars in the courtyard… but I don't think I could get you both down at once, Auntie…" She froze in place as Ranma's voice echoed in her mind's ear, screaming a warning. "GET DOWN!" She pulled Nodoka and Kasumi down just as indigo ki punched up through the roof on a diagonal, passing right through where their heads would have been.

Akane spun and glared at the new hole in the roof nervously. "Good gods… how'd that demon prick _do_ that?" She scrambled up, bringing the others with her. _Damn it, I'm turning into a liability all over again! As long as we're up here, we're sitting ducks- and that bastard might take more potshots just to distract Ranma!_ She bit back a tear and took a glance over the roof. "Nothing else for it. I'm going to have to risk taking you both down at once."

"Akane, don't!" Kasumi cried. "If you don't think you can do it, for Kami's sake don't try! We'll just keep moving and find another way down!"

"There might not _be_ another way down!"

"But you shouldn't do more than you can," Nodoka murmured. "If you _are_ strong enough to jump down, carrying someone on your back…" She paused, then nodded. "Then take Kasumi down and leave me."

"_Auntie!_"

Another shudder rocked the building. "If you can't get us both down, then…"

"Auntie, I'm not going to leave you here! What if something happens and I can't get back up in time to get you?" Nodoka shook her head and was about to insist that Akane was taking too much on at once, when a shadow flashed through the air just beyond the railing, freezing her words in her mouth. Akane froze as well, noting the sudden approach of the shadow's ki, and glanced up in time to see the shadow descend and plant itself on the roof.

"Oh, my…" Kasumi pointed. "Is that who I think it is?"

Akane nodded slowly, a vague idea forming in her head as Beast-Taro stamped one hoof on the roof tiles, glaring angrily about. He snorted and spun around; Akane quickly noticed his torso was covered in singe marks and shallow cuts, and his fists were flecked with white ichors. The minotaur reached behind his back- and in a manner reminiscent of Genma, held up a makeshift signboard. WHITE-HAIR… WHERE IS HE? Flipping it over, the other side read GOING TO BREAK HIS FACE.

"That's not important right now," Akane hollered over the wind. "I'm not even going to ask how you got here, Taro, but right now you could be helping us out of a real mess!" Taro quirked an eye and stared at Akane inquisitively, then spun and stared at the roof as another quake rocked a distant room below. "This place is getting too rough; can you help me get my sister and Auntie Saotome out of here? The fire escapes are shot and…"

Taro snorted derisively and pointed at his sign again. WHITE-HAIR… WHERE IS HE? His eyes scoured the rooftop again and he cracked the knuckles of his left fist.

"I don't believe this!" Akane gaped. "You want to get even with that freak so bad you'd rather go after him than help us out? How can you be that _selfish!_"

Taro stopped dead in his tracks. _Did that girl just call me…_ He rounded on Akane, preparing to stare her down, maybe push her away- but just as he did, she adopted a different tactic and looked at him with pleading eyes. His temper shifted gears mid-stride, leaving him briefly disoriented; it didn't help that Kasumi was standing next to her with a look of fear on her face that would melt any heart.

"Please… I know you want that jerk as much as I do, but we need to get to a safe place," Akane implored, dredging up every last bit of her acting skills to wheedle him. "You're a hell of a fighter, but… a truly gallant warrior would assist any damsel in distress, ne?" _Kami, I can't believe I'm sucking up to this twit!_ She brushed her hair back and gave him a sly glance. "That would be a truly noble and _awesome_ thing to add to your reputation… don't you think, Awesome Taro?"

That did it. Taro's emotional gears changed so fast one could almost hear the transmission grinding. In an instant, he had discarded the signboard and scooped a startled, bewildered Nodoka under one massive arm. Kasumi he carried in a seated position on his other arm, shifting them until they were (relatively) comfortable as he made a beeline for the roof's edge. Akane was just about to leap onto his back when the rooftop erupted in a crazed maelstrom of concrete and ki.

She saw Astaroth hurtling upwards from the newest hole, covered in fine gashes and black ichors, while Ranma bounded after him, whipping his hands in precise claw strikes that were met time and again by the demon's own claws. Her eyes widened as she saw Ranma's shirt had been nearly obliterated; the red covering most of his chest was his own blood, welling from numerous slashes of his own. A sick feeling welled up inside of her.

_I'm sorry, Ranma… but this is one time I can't run away!_ "GO!" she screamed, giving Taro a hard shove; the winged beast-man gave a bovine roar and took off with his cargo in tow, heading for some of the taller apartment blocks some distance from Furinkan. Akane could barely hear the surprised cries of her sister and Nodoka as she turned away from the edge and began to run. _I told you, Ranma. We're in this together… and if I can help, even a little bit, I'm not going to leave you!_

--------------------

A flash of blackened steel interrupted Ranma's frenzied catclaw attack as Astaroth yanked Zangyaku from his belt sash, then thrust at the teen's forehead. Ranma ducked and swiped low- but the demon had already recovered and blocked with his sword again, then spun and slashed three times, twice with the katana and once with his bone claws. Each strike was intercepted by a ki claw swipe that caused shower upon shower of sparks before the two warriors separated again, racing across the rooftop. It escaped the demon's notice, but the nick in Zangyaku's blade had lengthened following the last clash.

"You've become far more trouble than you're worth, whelp," Astaroth fumed- and suddenly changed directions, backstepping towards the nearest obelisk. "It's time to lower the curtain!" There was a violent screech as the demon whirled and cleaved right through the massive stone pillar. It began to fall forward, then stopped in midair at a gesture. He reached up and swung his sword again, and the pillar had been cleft again into five segments. With another gesture, each piece became a deadly projectile, hurtling at Ranma from all directions.

Ranma's cat-eyes flared a brighter shade of gold, and he grinned broadly. "Too easy!" His legs coiled and his neko side became more pronounced as he turned each of the stone segments into powder, scratching-post style. He bounded through the dust- and took a hard thump to the stomach as Astaroth barreled into him with his knee before trying to gouge his eyes out. The bone claws came dangerously close to his face, nicking both his ears before he jammed his fingers into the demon's forearms and ripped downward. Astaroth gasped in pain and hauled Ranma off the ground, flinging him across the roof and unleashing a black ki blast that might have taken his leg off if he hadn't rolled to one side.

The next instant, the demon was in his face again and both were lapsing into another series of rapid punches and blocks. Or rather, Astaroth was punching with one hand and slashing with his katana, while Ranma had redrawn his wakizashi and used it to block, not yet unlocking its dual form. He slammed his sword against Zangyaku hard enough to push them apart- and Ranma gasped as his knees started to buckle. _I can't keep this up much longer,_ he griped. _Even with the speed of the Neko-ken, this jerkwad keeps coming…_ His vision blurred for an instant, almost causing him to miss blocking another slash. _Kami, I must've lost more blood than I thought… gotta finish this fast, but he's using cold ki just like I am! An' if he doesn't switch or let anger get hold of him, then I can't…_

_Ranma! Keep him focused on you just two more seconds!_ His eyes widened; he was about to ask what the hell was going on when a sudden idea flooded his half of the Link- a quick-and-dirty tactic that suddenly seemed very appealing to him.

"I'll ask you once more, filth. _Are you ready to die?_" Fist and sword cracked down… just as Ranma reached up and grabbed the demon's left hand, yanking it forward as he spun clockwise, then lashed out again with his right hand and locked up with Astaroth's descending sword arm.

"I just got one word for you," Ranma spat- and then grinned. "Gotcha."

Astaroth's eyebrow quirked- and then both eyes widened as fire raced down his back; black ichors flowed like water from the gash that ran the entire length of his spine. A gash that had been opened up by Akane's Kongousekitou. His white hair flailed about his head as he twisted and glared at her, giving Ranma the briefest instant to pummel his flank with a Neko-speed-enhanced Amaguriken that caused him to spit up more black bile and fly across the roof in a tumbling heap.

Ranma staggered to his feet. "That ain't gonna hold him long, even with his defenses busted he keeps sealin' his wounds shut!" He shook his head and gave Akane a hard look. "Acchan, I told ya to get off the roof! I told ya it was gonna get…"

"Ranma, I don't want to argue about this right now! I _know_ what you said, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna duck out after everything that's happened! Kasumi and Auntie are okay, but I can still fight, and don't forget we agreed to…"

He held up a hand. "Hey, you didn't let me finish. Like I was saying, yeah, I told you it was gonna get rough…" He paused, and his tired face broke out in a smile. "And I figured you'd wind up sticking around anyway. And I'm glad ya did."

Akane blinked, and slowly a smile crept over her own face. "Ranma…"

A sudden burst of glacial ki interrupted their brief respite, followed by a low growl as Astaroth pulled himself to his feet. Just as Ranma had said, his injuries were already beginning to seal- albeit slowly. "Clever. Very clever, you two. You'd flared your own ki so much, Saotome, I couldn't feel hers until she was on top of me. But rest assured, I do _not_ intend to make that mistake again." He lashed out with his sword, projecting a scything ki blade that collided violently with a last-second Moko Takabisha, with the end result of an explosion that pushed both Ranma and Akane back several paces as Astaroth raced through the smoke to strike again.

For several long seconds, things became a blur. Ranma's wakizashi split in twain and smashed against Astaroth's sword time and again; Astaroth parried and struck with both blade and claw, first attacking Ranma and deflecting a lunge from Akane, then vice versa. Auras were colliding and mixing at such a rapid pace it looked like a fireworks display- and the crack in Zangyaku was slowly widening with every sword clash.

_This guy ain't giving any quarter,_ Ranma fumed Astrally. _He's not as fast as he was a moment ago, but I can't keep going at Neko speed much longer!_ His breath was growing ragged; he flinched as a claw came within a micron of taking his ear clean off. _Only way is if I hit him with my trump card- but there's not enough damn difference in our ki! It's not hot enough…_

"You look a bit vexed, trash!" Astaroth gasped, recoiling as Ranma's sword pair cut two narrow lines across his chest. "And you're still dancing around like a madman… are you trying to provoke something?" His leering smile returned. "Are you trying to make me lose it? Trying to use your favorite power move? Hmm… just a little cold for that, don't you think?" He jammed his sword into the tile at his feet, generating a wind blast that pushed both warriors back, tumbling head over heel as he raised the katana high. "You're not going to catch me with that."

_Ranma, he's wrong…_

Ranma blinked and glanced in Akane's direction; she was already staggering to her feet and tensing the muscles in her legs. She looked at him and nodded. _You and me. Let's heat things up a little bit._

Ranma swallowed as the meaning behind her words hit him. _Akane… that's one hell of a risk; you sure you wanna…_ One quick look from her was all he needed for an answer; taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and sprang to his feet just as Astaroth was about to split his head in two. _Alright, if you're sure… just follow my lead!_

With a quick flip, followed by a supersonic block-dropkick combo, Ranma sent the demon prince tumbling overhead; Astaroth righted himself in midair and turned on a heel to unleash a massive Dark Thunder blast- but Ranma and Akane had disappeared. His eyes widened; a second later he wheeled around as both teens appeared behind him and attacked simultaneously, Ranma with rapid-fire twin blades, Akane with three powerful swipes of her o-dachi. The assault knocked him off balance for the briefest moment, allowing the two teens to spring apart and begin running.

They swung out in wide arcs; Ranma sprinted several steps ahead of Akane and began flailing his swords in opposing figure-8 patterns, peppering Astaroth with small vacuum blades that elicited angry growls from the demon. He kicked his feet into a higher gear momentarily until he was directly opposite Akane, which was the moment their auras both flared- his, tempered with the Soul of Ice, hers fueled by a white-hot rage that had been building since her first encounter with Astaroth. Ranma's vacuum assault continued unabated as the two began closing the circle, making every pass smaller and smaller. Air currents began to pick up rapidly- more rapidly than any previous time Ranma had executed the attack.

With every pass, he continued to snap another ki projection from the tip of his sword, and with every pass, the demon would block with an opposing blast or with his katana. Astaroth didn't take note of what was going on until he glimpsed Akane amid a lull in Ranma's attacks- and paled as he realized her aura was literally blazing. _No… they can't… it can't be possible!_ He twisted and tried to shove his sword into her path- and gasped in pain as Nibaikotsu tore his forearm six ways till Sunday. Black ichors spilled down his katana and onto the ground, and the next instant, Ranma was right on top of him and Akane was leaping into his embrace, her own aura contracting rapidly as his right arm shot heavenwards. "NO!"

"HIRYU SHOTEN HA!"

--------------------

Shingen's eyes snapped to attention as a black line shot across the Portal's rune patterns. The line quickly turned into a marring crack, causing the already turbulent ki patterns to flare erratically. A many-tentacled beast with the head of a lion that was still emerging from the Portal screamed in agony, then just as quickly burst into white smoke, torn apart from the inside.

_What the hell…_ His eyes shot to the roof, noting the concentration of clouds and the violent ki exchanges above. _Did… did they actually get him? They FOUND the Contingency?_ Just then massive quakes ripped through the ground, coupled with an abrupt energy surge from above that just about made his teeth rattle. More cracks began to appear in the Portal, followed by more Greater Oni screaming in pain.

_Oh, kuso!_ He spun on one heel. "Everybody GET OUT! I don't know what's causing this, but I get the feeling it's gonna get real nasty, _real fast!_" He flung two more shielding wards at his feet, turned and grabbed his naginata off the ground. Slashing and elbowing his way through a thin section of oni, he could see a battered Mousse jab the arms of a boar-headed ogre with both his T'ai Chi swords, forcing it to release the bear hug it held on Shampoo. She toppled over; Mousse quickly had her over one shoulder and began to run. Ryoga slammed the heads of two oni together and retreated, pausing long enough to bowl over a clump of imps that were staring at the school roof in terror. Kodachi was lashing the backside of a lizard-thing viciously, until Ryu stopped her ribbon arm and literally slung her over his back, hauling her to safety. Strangely enough, she didn't complain much and he didn't look _completely_ annoyed.

A sharp cry hit Shingen's ears; glancing to his left, he caught sight of Ukyo sprawled across the ground, clutching her ankle. She had trod the wrong way while crossing a series of potholes, and her combat spatula had flown out of her grasp. "UKYO!" The tall Hunter skidded to a halt and lunged towards her.

"Owwww… dammit, think I twisted it…" She whistled through her teeth and tried to stand up, but failed just as she felt a gloved hand catch her shoulder.

"C'mon, Ucchan, I'm gonna get you out of here," Shingen whispered in a clipped but reassuring tone. "Hell of a place to get a sprain, if you ask me…" He started to pull her arm over his shoulder, when his danger senses kicked into overtime. Ki was flaring behind and above him faster than he expected; explosive reactions were imminent. Without another word, he pulled her forward and brought her gently but swiftly to the ground, then threw himself across her back. Blue light blazed out of his gloves and the remaining runes on the back of his wrecked jacket. "_Makoto Toku!_"

An instant later, the world erupted.

--------------------

It was as if a pillar of fire and ice had shot straight up through the school and into the sky above. The cyclone exploded in a fiercer maelstrom than usual, threatening even to rival the energies of the attack that had leveled Phoenix Mountain. Akane pulled herself tight into Ranma's grasp, resisting the pull of the wind as he poured every last free ounce of ki into the technique. Astaroth found himself being torn and battered from all directions; he jammed his left hand into the tiles at his feet, anchoring himself against the tornado that encompassed nearly the width of Furinkan itself. A moment later, the roof gave way and his claws broke free, sending him tumbling into the vortex.

"_This CANNOT BE!"_ he raged. _"YOU INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE…"_

Ranma looked down at Akane and smirked. "Akane… you still got enough left in ya for one last hit?"

She looked up and gave him a smirk of her own. "If you've still got enough, I've still got enough, dummy." An unspoken plan passed between them and they stared upwards, through the spiraling winds at the white-haired man who was trying desperately to right himself.

"Hold on, then; this is gonna be a bumpy ride!" His left arm, still clutching half of Nibaikotsu, tightened around her waist. Simultaneously, their legs coiled, and the two of them leaped up into the winds.

Reddish-golden light wreathed them both as they ascended higher, giving the appearance of a flaming arrow as they drew ambient ki towards them, growing stronger and stronger until it seemed they were about to burst. They quickly caught up to the tumbling Astaroth- and immediately sailed past him, their ascent trailing off as they reached the apex. As soon as they did, they released their grasp on each other and lifted their respective weapons high. Both Akane's single sword and Ranma's paired swords were glowing so white they were blinding.

"End of the line, Astaroth!" Ranma shouted at the top of his lungs. "Tenbatsu alternate technique! ISSAI…"

"NAGANO…" Akane continued.

"SABAKI!" they yelled together, thrusting downward. The battered demon's eyes widened as three blades closed in on his chest; desperately he brought his own katana up and braced the blade with his left hand.

A faint smile crossed his face as their blades collided with his in a perfect block…

The hairline crack in Zangyaku reached its limit…

Time slowed to a near stop as his sword broke under the force of theirs, and just before he felt all three pierce his chest, he shuddered at the abrupt, violent release of hundreds of souls imprisoned within said sword. As he felt his flesh give way, his eyes fixated on one soul in particular- a tiny, aged man who sat right in front of his face and stared at him.

_You may be right, Astaroth. Maybe I was a fool… and maybe I do deserve what I've got coming. That's a big 'maybe', mind you… I wasn't hopin' to pass on my school this soon, but at least now I know Genma's boy'll take care of it._ The spirit smirked. _And if I DO gotta go to Hell… at least yer going with me!_

All else was lost as mind-numbing pain overtook Astaroth's body. The scream that escaped his throat was beyond bloodcurdling as he, Ranma and Akane shot to the ground like a meteor. Together they punched through the roof and several subsequent floors of Furinkan… the Portal's rune patterns crumpled, split and folded back in on themselves… and with a thunderous report, the entire high school main building exploded, throwing concrete, glass, wood and metal in all directions. Every fanglike spike that had been molded from the perimeter wall cracked and shattered, and half the remaining trees were burned by the ki overflow.

--------------------

For a few long moments, there was little more than silence.

--------------------

The fog began to vanish rapidly. Every demon that had remained in the courtyard was gone, swallowed up by the implosion of the Portal or burned alive in the blast.

--------------------

Overhead, the clouds were already dissipating.

--------------------

Then…

A low groan echoed from a corner of the ruined courtyard.

"Damn… sugar… what just happened?"

Shingen groaned, rolling off Ukyo and patting concrete dust off his clothes. "I think… we just went through Hell and back again. Literally." He coughed, wincing at a pain in his side and in his head. "Lovely… Astral backlash all over again." _Talk about backlash, I can't even feel my OWN aura…_

"Shin-kun, are you okay?" She pulled herself into a seated position, trying to ignore the pain in her ankle. "You really didn't…"

He chuckled. "Don't say I didn't have to do what I did, Ukyo. You think I was gonna just let you get hit by a blast like that?"

She shook her head. "Well… no… but still…"

"But nothing. I told you… I care about you, and I don't let down people I care about that easily…" He trailed off and suddenly snapped his head towards the building, or rather what was left of it. "Oh hell… Ranma."

Ukyo gasped, her face paling. "Ran-chan! Akane! They were on top of that when everything went… oh, Kami, they gotta be okay! They just GOTTA!"

"Only one way to find out." Shingen pulled himself to his feet. Ukyo pushed herself roughly up, staggered on her bum ankle and would have fallen if Shingen's arm hadn't shot out and caught her. She blushed lightly for an instant, then swung her arm across his back and began a slow, tandem jog towards the smoldering crater that used to be Furinkan High. Beyond the still-standing gateposts, Ryoga had come to and was peeking around, as were Kodachi and Ryu. Beast-Taro dropped down from the top of a nearby building, cradling Nodoka and Kasumi in his arms; all three were staring in abject shock. Their stares were shortly joined by the Amazons; Shampoo alternated between glancing at the ruins and looking worriedly at Mousse's wounds, while Mousse was dressing her injuries and surveying the scene at the same time. Konatsu finished digging his way out of the rubble one oni had buried him under, then took off after Ukyo with a bag of medicinals.

Shampoo swallowed hard. "They… be okay, yes?"

Ryu nodded. "They better be. He and I still have unfinished business."

"They are far better than most I have known. Surely they found a way out." Kodachi's voice was confident, but her lip was trembling.

"Of course they're okay." Ryoga nodded and brushed his hair back. "Ranma always finds a way out." He paused, then sighed and nodded with a light smile. "After all… he's the best."

--------------------

_Mmhh… Ranma…_

Akane stirred. There was a numbness in her limbs that was disappearing rapidly; tingling sensations raced up and down her arms and legs. She felt drained… physically, emotionally, mentally. She felt like a sack of flour that had been tossed about and left on the floor of a bakery somewhere. She felt…

She felt a pair of arms encircling her. She also felt shoulders, warm but damp with sweat and blood. She felt her cheek pressed against a powerfully muscled chest…

"Akane…"

She opened her eyes and found herself kneeling in a depression in the earth, her chin resting on Ranma's left shoulder. Feeling flooded back into her as she realized he was leaning on her just as much as she leaned on him. She could feel something hard and sharp between their bodies- their swords, she figured- but she couldn't feel anything under her knees except hard stone.

"Ranma…?" She pulled away slightly and looked at him. His eyes had returned to their normal blue, and were no longer slitted, but exhaustion was etched into every last corner of his face. He looked at her, and his mouth curled into a crooked smile that she knew all too well.

"We did it."

Akane blinked. "We… did?" She glanced down; sure enough, there was nothing beneath her knees but broken concrete. She stared for a long moment, then gasped as she realized there was a black scorch mark in the size and shape of a man beneath them, with their swords embedded where the chest would be. Further off to one side, she caught a glimpse of a broken katana hilt and several chunks of sharp blackened steel. There was no other trace of Astaroth to be seen.

"Oh, Kami… we did… we really did it…"

Ranma nodded. "But, uh… something tells me we're not gonna be able to attend classes tomorrow." He nodded in the direction of the rubble around him and began to laugh- a coughing, hacking laugh, but a laugh nevertheless. Akane stared at him for a moment, and started to laugh as well.

"Like you were so concerned about good attendance anyway, you baka!"

"Just as well, tomboy; never did have a chance to do our homework!" He rolled his eyes and shot her a silly grin that got her laughing even harder… and before he knew it, her laughs had changed to tears and she was crying into his chest.

He stopped grinning and wrapped his arms around her. "Acchan? What's wrong? What'd I do?" A shadow amid the rubble behind him shifted to one side.

She sniffled. "You didn't do anything, dummy… I'm just…" She tightened her grip on him. "I think it just hit me… I almost saw you get killed right in front of me…" The confusion on his face drained away and he tightened his own grip, pulling her into a calm embrace.

"Sorry…" he mumbled. "Ya know I wasn't tryin' to let that happen… just misjudged a few things here and there…" The shadow on the rocks shifted again.

"I know, Ranma… I know." She hooked her chin over his shoulder again, squeezing him gently, mindful of his own wounds. "I'm just so relieved, that's all…" Another sniffle. "Can we go home now?"

"You got it." He coughed, then swayed and failed to stand up all the way, his eyes spinning. "Hoboy… just gimme a second… guess… goin' Neko took more outta me than I…"

The shadow nearby burst into frenzied action. Akane gasped, wide-eyed, as a wounded and enraged Kurowashi stormed from the pool of black that had concealed him. His red eyes glowered at the two for an instant before his avian head reared back, a war cry shrieking from deep within him. Muscular arms thrust forward, sending tendrils of silver chain coursing towards their heads. Fear suddenly locked Akane's legs and she could not move in any direction.

"TENBATSU!"

There was a sudden flash of silver- and the chains broke into a thousand separate links. The Tengu gasped in shock, followed by an anguished scream as a serpentine chain of blades sheared his weapons before puncturing his chest. Just as quickly, it reversed direction, and the demon collapsed to his knees, white ichors drenching the ground before he exploded into a cloud of iridescent dust.

For an instant, both Ranma and Akane had to relearn how to breathe before turning back around; their faces quickly relaxed as they caught sight of Shingen retracting Karasuhebi tiredly, re-locking its blade in naginata form. Ukyo was next to him, resting one arm on his- and lacing her fingers with his free hand.

Shingen let out a long breath. "That… was a bit too close." He leaned on his naginata's staff and smiled. "But all things considered, it could've been a lot worse… and I _distinctly_ remember telling you, no crazy stuff."

Ranma coughed again, then broke out in a relieved grin. "Shin… when you've been here as long as I have, it's _all_ crazy stuff. Ya get used to it." He chuckled. Akane giggled and playfully socked him on an uninjured part of his arm; Shingen shook his head and started laughing.

By the time a frantic Konatsu had caught up and was begging Ukyo to let him treat her wounds, they were all laughing- a long, heartfelt, healing laugh. The last of the clouds was drifting away, letting the rising moon cast soft silver light on the remains of Furinkan High.

The storm was over.

To Be Concluded.

--------------------

Author's Note 7/23/06: It's not over yet. There's still just a little ways to go before this chronicle winds down- a few last little things. And now for special moves notes.

_Senju Konbo_: Kodachi's Attack of a Thousand Clubs, featured in the rhythmic gymnastics duel with Onna-Ranma. Basically a handful of gymnast clubs, making it _look_ like a rapid-fire attack.

_Kijin Raishu Dan_: Part of the Yamasen-Ken, can translate as 'demon god assault bomb'. A knife-hand lashing out so fast it forms vacuum blades; Ryu Kumon practiced this move by demolishing a 5 meter high Buddha statue with it.

_Harimure_: Reika's Needle Swarm, mentioned in a previous chapter. The special attack of her unlocked Hunter weapon, Komadori.

_Kijin Dai Ran Bu_: Demon God Furious Dance, a modified Kijin Raishu Dan that attacks in all directions.

_Issai Nagano Sabaki_: Absolute Eternal Judgment. Essentially the Tenbatsu strike, but amplified with the additional force of the Hiryu Shoten Ha adding into it.

And finally, rough translations of the names of the five Curse demons that were Purged or otherwise appeared. _Akureiko_(Ranma's curse spirit)- Demon Child. _Onibuta_(Ryoga's curse)- Ogre Pig. _Ogui_(Genma's curse)- Glutton. _Sumire_(Shampoo's curse)- Violet. _Kurowashi_(Mousse's curse)- Black Eagle.

The chapter title was inspired by the song _White Light_ by Gorillaz, off the Demon Days album.

Thank you for your patronage; please review if you have a moment. As aforementioned, we're not done yet, but the train will be pulling into the station soon. Until next time.

-Neon Ronin


	43. A New Beginning

-1 Author's Note: The characters and setting herein- with the exception of one or two O.C.'s of my own design- are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own them, I have merely borrowed them. And now, we come to…

Ranma ½: The Truth and the Tempest

Chapter 43: A New Beginning

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Far North of Tokyo, just outside of Noboribetsu, a man was seated in one of the larger rooms of a secluded estate, poring over a large, flat crystal disk with wave patterns that flowed and shifted like water. A pale blue light emanating from the crystal bathed his face, highlighting the minute flecks of gray in his jet-black beard. As the patterns swirled, they clenched for an instant, doubled back on themselves, then evened out; a notable darker purple vein within the swirls thinned, gradually disappearing as the crystal took on a more uniform shade of blue-green.

A smile crossed the man's features, his eyes traveling momentarily to the phone lying on a table next to him. "So… it's just as you said it would be, Reika." He brushed his hands along his legs, smoothing out the dark blue hakama he wore before straightening the lapels of his white gi top. One hand traveled back to the crystal and traced the moving patterns, while his eyes took in an image shimmering beneath the patterns- an aerial view of the Kanto region, with Nerima ward at the center.

_They did it. The chaos stream has all but ceased in that ward._ He paused a moment in thought, then chuckled. _I suppose perhaps it was a bit much to expect it would disappear completely, what with such a thorough saturation of the region… not to mention its inhabitants._ A satisfied sigh escaped his lips. "Who could have imagined it… the two lost Clans not only re-awakening, but coming into their power so soon." _And just in time, it would appear…_

A series of footsteps echoed from the corridor, followed by a younger man in serving attire entering the room. "Master Yamashira?"

The older man turned and nodded. "Yes, Akio, you may come in."

Akio bowed and crossed the room, kneeling near the crystal and presenting a scroll. "We've had a communiqué from our Russian associates, Master. It's regarding the potential possession victims Young Master Shingen had told us about, ones who may still be at large."

"Ah, yes. I was hoping we might hear from them soon." Gennosuke Yamashira took the scroll and began to unroll it. "This would indeed be a night of many great achievements if they sent us good news."

"More routine news than anything else, according to the courier, Master Yamashira…"

The older man smirked. "Akio, you've known me long enough to know I'm not that big a stickler for titles. Enough with the 'master' references, already…" He pored over the scroll for several moments, then sighed and put it down. "Well, it's not everything we could hope for, but it looks like they've taken steps in the right direction."

"They haven't been able to find the victims?"

Gennosuke shook his head. "No, they've found several of the ones we were told of. The problem now is taking care of _each_ of them." He took a deep breath and stood up. "They were able to make contact with the Musk prince- after a great deal of political wrangling just to get in. Reportedly they didn't have much difficulty in broaching the subject, in fact it was this 'Prince Herb' himself who brought it up when the conversation turned to the arcane ways. Seems he didn't even care about Curse Spirits, but fixated on removing the form shift. If the date on this letter is correct, they'll most likely be treating him tomorrow morning."

"That's good news indeed," murmured Akio.

"That's the primary positive point- the other potential Curse victims haven't been quite as easy to track down." Gennosuke picked up a water glass resting on the telephone table and took a deep drink. "There were reports of a woman matching the description of this 'Rouge' that we were told of, but it hasn't been easy to find and talk to her long enough to persuade her. Our associates say they've got one kinsman versed in scrying looking out for her while they bargain with the Musk. At the very least, the one brief encounter they had indicated her aura isn't overly disrupted- meaning there's a good chance her mind hasn't been corrupted beyond repair."

Akio nodded. "And what of any others?"

"No news as of yet, but according to the report there's a slight lull in chaos attraction in the area- which is a good sign." Gennosuke put his glass down, then chuckled. "And may or may not be due to the events that happened at Phoenix Mountain, courtesy of one Ranma Saotome."

Akio blinked. "Saotome… the one Young Master Shingen told you about, the bloodline descendent of Junichiro Sagara?"

"The very same." He turned towards the scintillating crystal, pursing his lips in thought. "A most fascinating young man, indeed… he and his betrothed, both." A wry smile emerged on his face. "And powerful, too… more so than any Hunter I've known in my life, if what I've heard and seen tonight is correct."

"You've heard news from Nerima then, sir?"

Gennosuke nodded. "My daughter phoned less than a minute ago; she confirmed what we've been observing this evening. The threat has been extinguished, and the chaos stream a shell of what it was before." He let out a long breath. "A good thing, too… there were moments I thought the stream was turning against us, judging from what I've seen in the Owl's Eye."

"I know, sir… I felt it, too. I may not have the blood of a Hunter, but it wasn't too hard for me to feel." Akio shivered. "Are all Omega Threats steeped in such a quantity of negative ki?"

"Only a few… particularly those involving a Named Spirit," Gennosuke replied. "I was this close to calling in one of my favors with Ishida Clan; in fact I would have, were it not that my son and daughter were both present, and in the company of a number of great warriors already."

"Would those have been the flarings of positive ki, sir? The ones that converged in the Owl's Eye?" Akio queried, pointing to the crystal disk.

"More than likely… but we will have time to discuss this at length later." The older man brushed his dark hair back and folded his arms behind his back. "Notify our contacts in Clans Ishida and Yamamoto. Make sure they know an Omega-Class Named Spirit has been taken down, and the Archangel Protocol has been completed. Get a confirmation on any subsequent press releases as well; best not to let the general public know everything that transpired."

"I know the procedure, sir. It shall be done." The younger man bowed, got to his feet and strode from the room. Gennosuke nodded, turning to a near window and casting a thoughtful eye at the rising stars.

_Truly a night of great achievements… we've shattered another strand of the spider's web, and by the hand of those who have not even fully come into their power._ He nodded to himself twice. '_And their union shall overcome the darkness, to confront the chaos at its source'- the prophetic words of our ancestor, realized in our lifetime. Two bloodlines rekindled, and my children on hand to witness it._ His smile faded, replaced with an air of stoicism. _Still, there is much work to be done. This war is far from over, and we can be assured the demons will not take kindly to the loss of a Named._

_I would it could have been different, but sometimes a trial by fire is unavoidable. Great Kami, I knew something dire was afoot from the motions of the chaos stream, but something of this magnitude… the mere fact that Saotome and Tendo were willing to face it speaks volumes of their power and conviction. Shingen was right, they could easily become the greatest Hunters we have ever known- if they haven't become such already. Reika said they delivered the final blow… perhaps managed to turn the tide single-handedly._

He nodded to himself, his eyes tracking a falling star. "You've truly impressed this old man, both of you. It'll be an honor to welcome you into the fold… but all things in their due time." Uncrossing his arms, he turned from the window and returned to the crystal disk in the middle of the room. It took the faintest gesture to blur the aerial vision in the crystal's depths, shifting the Owl's Eye's focus to another section of Japan. A deep breath, and the elder Yamashira returned to his work.

_So much to watch for… and so much that escapes even the Owl's Eye. Let us pray nothing else escapes our watch tonight._

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At a small estate in Nerima, the mood had rapidly turned from pensive(and in some cases panicky) to relieved and elated.

Soun had finally roused himself from troubled dreams to find that the rescue team had not returned, Cologne was fuming that Taro had managed to sneak out from under her nose, Akari was practically pacing a hole in the floor and Genma had tried to head out and lend his own assistance- which meant he had re-opened the wounds in his leg, nearly tearing his already-weakened Achilles tendon off the bone. Cologne had re-bound his leg and was applying therapeutic Chinese herbs when Soun woke up… _"which is more than you deserve after being foolish enough to re-injure yourself. Imagine, trying to run off and fight in your condition,"_ the old crone had rebuked, making Genma look even more sheepish.

Akari, of course, brought whatever was needed in the way of clean bandages or cold compresses, but couldn't stop herself from openly worrying about Ryoga's well-being. Nabiki had told her repeatedly to stop blubbering, though for some reason there was a catch in her own voice- which, when pointed out by Akari, she vehemently denied. This had brought Soun's own anxieties into the forefront, and try as he might, he couldn't completely suppress his own waterworks. _Oh, Kami,_ he had prayed, _let them be safe. Please… I know I'm a weak man, I know I haven't done my best raising our babies alone after Michiko left us… just please, bring them back to me and I swear I'll put the past behind me! I'll TRY to be stronger, I'll do my best to be a better father, only PLEASE let Kasumi and Akane be safe!_

It wasn't more than a few seconds after he finished his prayer, that the front door opened and two familiar voices cried out, "We're home!" Heads shot up, and everyone who could bolted for the front hallway- save Cologne, who pogo-sticked her way to the hall, and Genma, who half-hobbled, half-dragged himself to the door. Akane and Ranma were there, leaning on one another, looking utterly bedraggled and their clothing torn in places- his shirt had almost completely been destroyed- but they were both smiling, that same victory smile they had worn time and again over the past year. Ranma's wounds had long stopped flowing, but his chest was still a mess of red smears. Behind them stood Kasumi and Nodoka, uninjured but emotionally drained, with their hands gently supporting Ranma and Akane's shoulders. Nodoka's kimono did bear several oddly-shaped bloodstains, marks from when she had found Ranma just after the Furinkan explosion and hugged him so hard he thought his eyes were going to pop out.

Soun immediately ran over and gathered Kasumi and Akane into his arms, thanking any Kami that happened to be listening for their safe return. Nabiki was the next in line to hug both her sisters, an act which caused no small surprise for those immediately present- especially when she actually shed a tear or two, then released them both and pulled Ranma into a hug as well. She tried to make it look hesitant, with a touch of the old Ice Queen, but she couldn't quite keep her hands from shaking. "You did good, little bro…" she whispered. "You did real good…" A second later, she had to back off as Soun glomped Ranma almost ferociously, blubbering another long stream of thanks coupled with demands for assurance that the crisis was well and truly over. Nabiki groaned in exasperation; Ranma's groan came more from the wounds that Soun was threatening to re-open.

Nearby, Genma stumbled forward, his injured leg giving out just as Nodoka stepped forward and caught him, bringing him down gently and shaking her head. She had just started to give him a lecture about overstressing his injury, as Cologne had done, when he did something most unusual for him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled close to her and started to cry, thanking her for coming back to him, thanking the Kami that she wasn't hurt. She sat for a moment, startled beyond all words, then slowly smiled and stroked the top of his head.

At that time, more people began to filter through the doorway… Shingen, using his naginata as a cane, followed closely by Ukyo who had one arm over his back. Ryoga was right behind them, brushing off Konatsu's efforts to apply a coagulant paste to some of his wounds. _"Dammit, I said I'm okay; get that fruity-smellin' gunk off my face!"_ he had snapped. Next came Kodachi, with an impatient-looking Ryu next to her, then Mousse and Shampoo, both dressed in the torn remnants of their clothes and several bolts of cloth which Mousse had fashioned into a kind of sarong. Taro was not with them- he had stormed off in a huff when he learned the 'white-hair' whose face he had wanted to break was no more. The last person to saunter through the door was Reika, bow in hand and sporting a bemused smirk.

For a few long moments it was near-pandemonium as pent-up stress fell away. Akari ran up to Ryoga and almost bowled him over, crying her relief into his chest. Cologne perched on top of her staff and drew Shampoo into a rare maternal embrace, pressing a draught of tribal restorative into her hands which she quickly gulped down. Shingen disentangled himself from the others and he and Ukyo limped to his rented room, returning a moment later with a handful of medicine which they began passing out, just as Soun's vision cleared and he realized exactly how many people were in the foyer.

"Now, are you SURE you took care of things, Ranma? If that man comes back and tries to take my baby girls away again, _so help me…_" "Hey, take it easy, Mr. Tendo, it was nothing! Guy didn't stand a chance against me…" "You mean he didn't stand a chance with _us_ backing you up, right, Ranma?" "Ryoga, sweetie, you're not trying to start that up again, are you? Please, you're hurt…" "Ran-chan, I hadn't meant to say this, but you really do look like hell; you sure yer okay?" "Of course is okay! Brother Ranma face worse at Jusendo, Shampoo know he and Sister Akane make it out just fine!" "Ukyo-sama, are you sure you don't need a bandage or something? My kunoichi secret wound paste works miracles…" "My word, must we descend into a complete disorganized rabble? The unholy catharsis is over; let us calm our nerves and…" "I don't think anyone's listening to you, Ms. Kodachi."

It took quite a while for the babbling to simmer down. Gradually, people stopped crying out or clutching to one another desperately, and slowly trickled from the foyer into the tearoom. Kasumi brushed herself down and tried to offer everyone some small refreshments- a force of habit, she later admitted- but was quickly seated at the table by Cologne. "Child, this has been a long night, and after such an ordeal you shouldn't be expected to serve. Just sit and rest; I will attend to everything." The Amazon elder turned and hopped off to the kitchen; a moment later, Kodachi abruptly excused herself and slipped off to offer her own help. "Consider it a small token of atonement," she had said.

Eventually they managed to get settled; those who had been in the thick of things relating what had happened, while those who had remained listened intensely and in some cases goggled at the details. Ranma lapsed into bravado form briefly, shrugging off the concern of the others- "Hey, ya know I've been in this situation a dozen times before; hell, it was practically a walk in the park…" His eye caught the wry smirk and knowing look on Akane's face. "Well… okay, maybe not exactly a walk in the park… but I knew we'd get outta that mess one way or another." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "And I gotta admit… Akane did real good out there. Really held her own."

Akane blushed; Soun and Genma gaped, sharing a look that said _who is this man and what did he do with Ranma?_ Nodoka simply smiled. Nabiki shook her head in surprise.

"Sweetie, did you really fight off a whole _army_ of those creatures?" Akari squeaked.

"Well, I wouldn't say a whole _army_… but there were a hell of a lot of 'em. I just did my part, that's all," Ryoga replied with a casual shrug. An instant later, he was wincing from a very sudden and painful shoulder cramp. _Dammit, guess that third stone-man hit me harder than I thought…_

"I swear, I've seen some mysterious things in the past year," Kasumi murmured, "but nothing like this. It was so…" She took a deep breath. "The only place I've ever seen such things was in my nightmares; on top of which, I still can't believe you were able to fight that beast as well as you did, Akane. I never thought…"

Akane shook her head. "I never thought I would either, oneechan." She paused, then shrugged. "Then again, after everything we'd already been through, I guess there wasn't much left that would scare me." She gave a wan smile, which quickly faded as she looked back at Ranma who was discussing something animatedly with her father. _Except maybe…_

--------------------

"Shampoo, is something wrong? Are you still hurt?"

Shampoo sighed and glanced over her shoulder. "Not hurt, Mousse." She fingered the sheared ends of her hair with a petulant pout. "Shampoo okay… and very glad we all get out, too… but…" A long sigh. "Stupid demon, take away Shampoo's pride."

Mousse blinked, rubbing one eye as comprehension set in. "Wait, you mean you're upset over a little thing like that?"

"Is not little thing and you know it, Mousse." She rolled her eyes and shifted her position so she could look at him directly. "Is pride of Amazon warrior to wear hair long. Sign of grace in combat; if enemy no can catch hair, one is great warrior in eyes of tribe. Stupid Mousse grow hair long for same reason, even though Shampoo still catch by hair!"

The formerly myopic Amazon nodded slowly, his face sobering. Amazon pride, he well knew, was a tough nut to crack, especially for one who had lorded it over him most of their lives. "I'm sorry, my dear. I wasn't trying to belittle it… I guess I had more important things on my mind, like the fact that you managed to survive that chaos." He brushed his own hair back, casting a quick glance at it. "Fact is, after what happened in that blasted maze with the Tengu… something like this doesn't really seem so important."

Shampoo blinked and found herself rethinking every word she had just said. Looking back, she quickly realized there had been numerous other times she had faced steep odds, and comparatively these had been the steepest odds yet. Both of them had pushed themselves to the brink, Mousse had sustained injuries that might kill a normal man, and there she was sulking about _the length of her hair_. "Mousse…" _He really not so stupid after all… I the real stupid one, think about pride after come close to losing…_ Her train of thought derailed as Mousse flipped a dagger out of the folds in his robes; her eyes widened as he grasped his own ebony locks and chopped through them in one slash, leaving him with shoulder-length hair that almost matched hers.

"There," he said with a soft smile. "I guess… well, I was about due for a trim anyway, don't you think?"

She stared at him for a moment and shook her head, unable to completely erase the mixed expression forming on her face. "Mousse… you no have to do that, not for my sake…"

"I know," he whispered, resting one hand on hers. "That's the point, Xian Pu."

"Well, as much as I hate to break up a conversation, there's something I've been a little curious about." Mousse started, then looked up to see Shingen cross the room and sit cross-legged with the two of them. Ukyo was discussing something with Konatsu, and on the periphery of Mousse's vision Ranma had been cornered by Ryu. Akane was sitting next to Ranma, but from Mousse's perspective didn't seem to be paying much attention to their conversation.

"Wha… oh. Yes, what was it, Yamashira?"

Shingen shook his head for a moment as another ache rolled through it. _Geez, I got hit with more backlash from that Portal than I did at Jusenkyo; probably take a week and a half to clear out of my system._ "Well, first off I did want to thank you both- you really pulled through in a tight spot out there." He smiled, then glanced at Mousse's double scabbard which was resting on the floor. "Second… I noticed your swords on the battlefield; they couldn't have been shedding that kind of light and power just from my charcoal wards. Where'd you say you got those?"

Mousse shrugged. "Like I said, they're family heirlooms."

Shingen nodded slowly. "Uh-huh… been in the family long? I mean, I remember Elder Cologne talking about weapons forged by your clan's elders… swords with legendary powers, savvy?"

Mousse stared at Shingen blankly for a moment before shaking his head. "I… I'm not exactly sure they'd qualify, Yamashira." He paused again, then looked at the floor almost in embarrassment. "Actually… they're not quite native Joketsuzoku blades. See, they belonged to my great-grandfather… and we don't like to bring it up, but he wasn't born an Amazon. Apparently he came to the village with several other warriors… the others were chased off the land. One of his comrades was killed. But he defeated one warrior in self-defense… my great-grandmother. They were wed not long after." He heaved a sigh. "That must have been about seventy-eight, maybe seventy-seven years ago…"

Shingen's eyebrows went up- as did those of Reika, who was listening from a near corner. The two of them shared a look and a surreptitious smile. They didn't even need an Astral Link to share the same thought. _Very interesting indeed…_

--------------------

For the most part, the mood for the rest of the evening was quite elevated, only dipping once when Kasumi reminded everyone that not everybody had made it through the ordeal unscathed.

A few smiles had dimmed then, culminating in a moment of silence for one elderly lecher no longer among the living. Privately, many of them looked forward to never worrying about underwear pilfering or grope-fests again, but as Kasumi pointed out, "He may have been a dirty old man, and it may be true that most of our troubles have been because of him… but I wouldn't have wished death upon him, nor any other man. Nobody deserved that." More than a few people pondered her words and nodded in agreement; even Genma and Soun had begrudgingly admitted she was right. A few people had talked about holding a small memorial for Happosai- "even if he didn't really deserve it, it's the right thing to do," Nabiki had muttered.

It was very late by the time everyone had calmed down sufficiently to say their good-byes and depart. Ryu had left shortly after completing his conversation with Ranma, capping it with a firm handshake and a firmer request to meet him bright and early the next morning. The others had followed suit one after another, each in their own way; the last to leave had been Konatsu, who was looking a bit flustered after Reika had asked him a rather… personal question. _"What? All I asked was whether he prefers boxers, briefs or pink lace panties, what's the big deal?"_ The archer had laughed it off; Konatsu had merely turned deep crimson and vanished, literally, in a cloud of smoke.

Soun and Genma remained downstairs- Soun was praying quietly at the dojo shrine, while Genma was having his leg treated by Nodoka and Reika, who had stayed behind to visit with her brother some more. Shingen had holed up in his room again with a large glass of water and some herbal painkillers, grumbling about ki overflow. Kasumi and Nabiki were having a talk in Nabiki's room, getting the last of the evening's tensions out of their systems.

The last two members of the household were trudging up the stairs, hand in hand.

"I still can't believe Ryu Kumon came back and jumped into the midst of that mess just so he could ask you _that_," Akane remarked, shaking her head.

"Actually, I can believe it. I'm kinda surprised he didn't show up sooner, to be honest." Ranma stopped and cracked his neck slightly. "I mean, if you'd lost a match and someone told ya you couldn't use yer favorite move anymore because of that, what would you do?"

Akane chewed her lip for a moment, then nodded and sighed. "Probably the same thing he just did, come back and ask for a rematch…" She stopped at the top of the stairs and looked up. "You don't think he actually still wants to go through with that? Not after tonight?"

"Huh? Well, that _is_ what he said… something about trying to build up his own dojo, said he wanted to incorporate the Yamasen-ken into a style of his own, since he knows the damn thing letter-perfect." Ranma winced and rotated one shoulder, working a kink out. "But he didn't say anything about fightin' to regain his right to practice… fact is it's a moot point anyway, the guy was usin' it during that free-for-all, right?"

"Well… yeah, at least it _sounded_ like he was using the same moves…"

Ranma chuckled lightly. "I dunno. Ryu an' me mighta locked horns a bit last time, but it sounds like he _did_ give the others a hand, even if he didn't mean to… so we talked it over an' I said to come back in the morning so he could petition the Saotome school head for permission ta unseal the technique. Not that he _kept_ it sealed, but anyway…"

"Wait a minute." Akane stopped again; they were right outside the door to her room. "You told him to petition… the head of the Saotome school?" Her lips began to curl upward.

"Yep. Of course, I didn't _exactly_ tell him he was talkin' to the head of the school, and he didn't seem too concerned about anything else besides that an' what just went down, so…" He shrugged. Akane giggled, eventually dissolving into full-blown laughter with Ranma joining in.

"Oh, you are _terrible!_" She swatted his shoulder lightly, then leaned on him, resting both arms around his neck. "I can just see the look on his face tomorrow morning…"

"Yeah… won't be too far off either, few more hours and the sun'll be up…" Ranma replied, stifling a yawn- followed by a hissing intake of breath as pinpricks of pain danced across his abdomen. "Agh…"

"Oh, Ranma…" The smile on Akane's face vanished and she pulled away, glancing down at his stomach. "Did something open up again? You're not bleeding, are you?"

"Nah… just a twinge, that's all," he muttered, probing his side and flinching when pressure was applied to his earlier impalement wound.

"Here, let me take a look at that; I may still be rusty on the Healing Light technique, but…" She twisted the doorknob and led him into her room, shutting the door behind them.

"C'mon 'kane, it's not that big a deal, I already closed it myself…"

"Hey, if you can worry about me incessantly I'm allowed to do the same for you once in a while, right?" There was a slight catch in her voice, and she suddenly seemed to be having a hard time looking him in the eye. With one hand she guided Ranma over to her bed and sat him down, then kneeled by the bed and pushed the remnants of his shirt aside. True to his word, the gashes had sealed but were still a nasty shade of raw pink; Akane nodded silently to herself as she brushed the edges of a few larger lacerations with trembling fingers. She had just begun to extend her aura towards his, when she felt his hand close over hers.

"Acchan… what's wrong? Geez, you're shaking like a leaf."

She shook her head viciously, fighting the moisture collecting in her eyes. "I'm not shaking, baka…"

"Yes, you are." Gently he placed his hand under her chin and lifted so he could see her eyes. "And don't think I hadn't noticed it because of all the people, but you were really in your own little world a few times downstairs. What is it?" He stood up slowly, bringing her to her feet while still clasping one hand. "C'mon, the tough tomboy I know doesn't act like that for no damn reason…"

"M-maybe it's because this tomboy isn't always so t-tough…" She swallowed hard, then wrapped her arms gently about his waist and pulled him close. "R-Ranma… I know I s-said I was ready for anything when we agreed to accept this whole H-Hunter blood thing… but after t-tonight… Kami, I really thought I was g-going to l-lose you…"

"Hey… Akane, it's okay. It's over now. An' we beat that freakshow _together_… right? You didn't lose me, I didn't lose you…" He stroked her back gingerly as a wave of anxiety and guilt lurched up from within. _Hell's bells… she doesn't want to deal with this, she really DOES hate the weirdness, I've gone and pushed her into something she ain't ready for…_

An errant tear trickled down her cheek as she pressed her face to his chest. "I think…"

"Yeah…"

"I think… m-maybe now I know what you felt at J-Jusendo."

Ranma blinked, then looked down as she continued. "I mean… seeing someone you care for, even if you can't always say the words… thinking how they might be counting on you… that you might be too late to s-save them…" She sniffled and wiped her face awkwardly. "When we were at the warehouse and Shingen had us do that Astral exercise, I tasted some of what you felt… but I think this might be the first time I've ever _felt_ it myself." She took a long breath.

For a few moments, the two of them stood in silence. Ranma was at a loss for words, so he did little else except hesitantly caress the back of her head with one hand. He moved slowly at first, then more assuredly as he felt her relax in his arms.

"Ranma…" Akane loosened her grip slightly, enough to raise her head and look him in the eye. "I want to marry you."

He blinked again, then smiled playfully. "Well, I want to marry you too, Acchan, or I wouldn't have asked you…"

"No," she interrupted, resting a hand on his arm. "I want to marry you right now."

Ranma stared in disbelief as she continued. "As soon as the sun's up. I don't care if it's before or after Ryu shows up here, it's not like we can really go to school after what happened tonight… let's just do it. Our dads already signed the marriage license, all we need to do is go to the magistrate and get registered."

"A-Akane…?" He shifted, taking hold of her hands gently. His eyes locked with hers, and he saw a whirlwind of emotion inside- anxiety mixed with fear, a touch of the fiery determination he was so familiar with, and a great deal of the affection that had been held in check by both their egos over the past year. More than that, he _felt_ an overwhelming sense of need… and desire.

"You… you want us to…?" She nodded once, and almost instantly he could see fear building up on her face. He shook himself, his features softening. "Hey now, don't get me wrong, you know I said any time you wanted was good for me…" The fear in her eyes started to drain away. "But… what about what we talked about? I thought you wanted to take time, put together the ceremony _you_ wanted… wait till we got the rest of the messes sorted…"

"Ranma, after what we've been through I don't think I can wait any longer." Another lone tear ran down her face, which she brushed brusquely away. "I waited over a year to tell you I love you, and now that we've got this new chapter in our lives to deal with, I'll be _damned_ if I'm going to waste more time on little things." She reached up and cupped his cheek with one hand. "I don't need a big ceremony, I don't even need some fancy dress… I just need you. Please…"

Akane shivered as he lifted his hand to her face, running his thumb along her cheekbone. "Hey… I need you too, 'kane, you know that…" He brought his other hand behind her back, gently pulling her closer to him. "I just want to make sure this is really what ya want, that's all. And if you do…"

"I do, Ranma Saotome. If I'm going to be living as a Hunter as well as a martial artist, then I'd rather do it together… you and me. Yes, what happened tonight really freaked me out. Yes, I know we'll have to deal with more of the same, and by the time we do I'll be even _more_ ready to face it… and before you say it, yes, I'm sticking with this whole Hunter thing; I'm not going to back out of exploring my bloodline just because of one demon prince." She sniffled and her voice began to get hoarse. "And… yes, I really do want to be Akane Saotome right now."

For a long moment, they didn't do anything else but look at each other in perfect silence… but that silence was quickly broken when Ranma nodded slowly and smiled. "Now, how could I say no to that," he whispered before capturing her lips in a fierce, passionate kiss. Akane moaned happily into the embrace, kissing him back just as passionately if not more so. One of her hands toyed with his pigtail while the other was gripping his shoulders as if she couldn't bear to let go; Ranma was caressing the base of her neck with one hand and stroking the small of her back with the other. After what seemed like ages, the two separated, but only just far apart to catch their breath and look each other in the eye.

"You know… yer old man might pitch a fit when he hears we're not doing things up fancy."

"My old man can go jump in a lake," Akane breathed. "This isn't about him, it's about us."

"You know something?" Ranma's eyes sparkled. "You're absolutely right."

"Besides…" Kiss. "If I know Daddy…" Deeper kiss. "He'll probably pull a wedding reception out of thin air once he hears the news." Caress. "That's enough for me."

"Me too, I guess." His lips traveled away from hers, brushing across her cheek to plant small, burning kisses below her ear and down her neck. "I still might need to talk to Mom… she might not be satisfied with just a reception." Akane's breath caught sharply as Ranma's hand traveled from her back to her waist, brushing tenderly down to her hip. "Then again, after what happened at our last wedding she might agree with us." He kissed his way back up her neck, stopping just in front of her lips. "We can talk with her in the morning…"

His thoughts halted abruptly as he felt Akane's hand close on the hand he was resting on her hip. She slowly wrapped her fingers around it and pulled it away, and for a brief moment Ranma thought she was pulling away. _It is pretty late and all, but Kami, some of those kisses damn near blew my mind…_ The thought that she was asking him to stop, however, quickly evaporated as she took his hand and placed it on her breast. For a millisecond, he froze in place, but shook himself out of it as she leaned up to capture his lips again. He reciprocated readily; Akane gasped as she felt him caress her through the fabric of her shirt. It didn't take long before the shirt was discarded; the gasp became a moan as Ranma continued his gentle massage. As his lips descended to her neck again, and then lower still, Akane thought her legs would turn to Jell-O.

The two of them gradually sank to the floor, her arms wrapping tight around his shoulders. "Ranma… stay with me tonight, please," Akane whimpered, every nerve in her body on fire.

He looked into her eyes, seeing the inner fire that was matching his own at that very moment, and smiled gently. "As you wish."

--------------------

It was some time later that they finally drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

The night was peaceful, the skies clearing rapidly as though the recent madness had been nothing more than a bad dream. A lingering calm had begun to settle within the walls of the Tendo estate- the same calm felt many times before, each time after similar trials had been weathered.

They were dreamsharing again… only this time, they intended to, rather than by accident.

They were in the same open field, with the same lone tree overlooking the valley. Akane was even sporting the same sundress she had worn when they had first Linked while asleep, and Ranma was wearing his same favorite shirt. They sat beneath the tree and gazed down at the lake in the distance, holding one another in the same embrace they had fallen asleep in. A pair of birds flew by, looking every bit as real as if they were awake; a few stray sakura petals drifted down from the tree, landing on Ranma's nose. He tried to look perturbed as he flicked them off, but wound up looking cross-eyed instead, making Akane giggle.

For a long time, they simply sat and gazed at the sky, trying to find odd shapes in the clouds, or stealing occasional kisses from one another. Gradually they began to talk about what to do when they woke up… how they were going to finish school, _if_ they were going to finish school. Ranma mused on talking Soun into teaching again. _"We could use the help once we re-open the dojo, assuming he's in any condition to teach again."_ Akane pondered what she should try to learn to cook next, only swatting Ranma once- and playfully- when he joked about making sure they had some antacids on hand. Both of them began talking about the two of them, what their future together might hold; Akane had to giggle when Ranma paled momentarily once the subject of children came up.

As they sat and talked, two pairs of eyes gazed down on them from the tree branches above. One pair belonged to a tiny girl in a red Chinese shirt and black pants, with bright red hair in a pigtail. The other belonged to an equally chibi girl that looked almost exactly like Akane, but in a martial arts gi with a white bandanna over her bangs and a rough, tomboyish bearing to her stance.

"About time we finally got around to this," Ranko giggled. "Stupid pride aside, you gotta admit, Akane-kun, they really do make a cute couple."

"You mean _we_ really do make a cute couple, dontcha, Ranko-chan?"

"Well, _duh_. It's not like him an' me are really separable, any more 'n you and Akane-chan down there are."

Chibi-Akane-kun stretched her arms over her head before folding them triumphantly. "Well all I can say is it's about time the big dummy showed some initiative and _told_ us how he feels. If he'd said something sooner, I would've been able to relax a helluva lot more! You know how _sick_ the two of us were of always being the tomboy and never just a girl?"

"Probably just about as sick as I was of being repressed by that idiot Pop of ours- not to mention having that succu-bitch curse demon mess with our balance," chibi-Ranko replied. "Least now he's not freakin' out so much about losing his masculinity to me."

"Yeah, but I get the feeling we've still got a ways to go ourselves." Akane-kun glanced down at her larger counterpart and smiled wanly. "I'm so used to being the one in charge, it's not that easy to change gears and be a little more girly."

"And who said Ranma-kun and I wanted ya to be more girly?" Ranko hopped across the tree branch and wrapped one arm around a startled Akane-kun's neck. "We _like_ Akane the Tomboy, or have you forgotten?" She giggled, and Akane-kun squeaked when Ranko began administering noogies.

"Well, I've got a little surprise for you, Ranko-chan…" She pulled the redhead off and pushed her back; Ranko wound up on the other side of the branch, ingloriously landing on her butt as Akane-kun advanced. "Me and Akane-chan… we're pretty fond of sexy redheads, _especially_ if they also happen to be raven-haired studs as well!" She pounced, and Ranko squealed with laughter as she became a partly unwilling recipient of a massive tickle barrage.

Eventually the torment stopped and the two chibi girls collapsed, gasping for breath and giggling. When they had finally caught their breath, they scooted back to their observation point on the branch and gazed down at their respective counterparts. A smile broke over both their faces when they overheard Ranma talking about training locations he had seen, and expressing a desire to show them to Akane; she, in turn, seemed quite receptive but made a condition that it had to be a trip for them alone, no one else.

"You know something, Ranko?" Akane-kun turned and looked warmly at Ranma's yin half. "I get the feeling things are gonna be okay."

"I know the feeling," Ranko replied. "Something just feels right now. Balanced."

"Not separate now. Work together," said a nearby voice in a gentle purr. "All in one… all balanced." The two girls turned to see a third joining them- a rather pleasant-looking chibi cat-boy, slightly smaller than either of them, with golden feline eyes and black and red striped fur covering his body. He crossed the branch on all fours, padding over to Akane-kun and curling up next to her, rubbing his cheek against her leg.

Ranko chuckled. "Looks like Neko's taken a shine to you, Akane-kun."

"Well, I knew _that_," the gi-clad girl laughed, stroking the back of Neko-Ranma's head. "After all… he's Ranma, too, right?" She scratched the cat-boy under his chin and smiled.

"Pretty much… he just took a little longer to calm down than the rest of us," Ranko replied, scooting over and petting the boy gently on the shoulder. He mewed happily, and the two girls took turns scratching his back while their larger counterparts continued to snuggle below.

Eventually Ranko stopped scratching and looked down again. "You know something?" She turned and looked at Neko, who was peering over the branch as well. "Watching may be fun, but I think I'd rather be part of it. You know?" The cat-boy gave an affirmative meow, rising slightly as Ranko hopped up. "Besides, I kinda miss bein' one person right now. Race ya down?" With a giggle, she and the cat-boy jumped off the branch and drifted down, almost floating, towards Ranma's head. As they neared their goal, their bodies turned translucent, fading until they became two shimmering orbs of white light.

"Hey, no fair getting a head start!" Akane-kun scowled in mock-anger and leaped off the branch herself, aiming for her larger half's head. As she fell, her outline faded as well, turning from a tiny girl to a twinkling light that drifted down and settled over Akane's heart. All three lights had soon settled on their respective halves- or in Ranma's case, two thirds settling on the larger third. With an innocuous wink, each light merged with the two teens, who edged a bit closer to one another and tightened their embrace just a little more.

Ranma opened his eyes just a bit and smirked. _About time they quieted down._

--------------------

--------------------

In another place beyond the realm of human observation, two dark beings were in conference.

"_This is beyond forgivable. Two of the Hunter bloodlines re-awakening, and my heir dead because of it. I will not deny, the boy's own arrogance brought most of this to a head, but even so! They defeated him, and they have not even fully grown into their power yet! Lord Asmodeus, this affront cannot remain unanswered, surely you can see that?"_

The second daemon shook his head. **_"My old friend, what happened to Astaroth the Younger is truly regrettable, but, as you said, he did bring this matter to a head. I warned you long ago, your son's predilection for vendetta and open combat would lead to his downfall, not to mention his own arrogance. And as for those that destroyed him…"_** He turned away and folded his black-cloaked arms. **_"It would seem you share his passion for vendetta when it comes to those two."_**

"_Then you agree with me, Asmodeus. You know that we must move on those whelps as soon as possible!"_

"**_No. We will not take any overt action at this point."_** As the first figure's eyes widened and fists began to clench, he raised one calming hand. **_"You seem to forget the Convention, do you not? We cannot risk moving on a grand scale, lest the mortal world become too aware of our movements. Not to mention the fact that your heir only recently attempted such a massive troop movement not long ago; a second such movement could prove catastrophic."_**

"_Are you saying that we do NOTHING?_" Astaroth the Elder sputtered. _"That we allow the movements of Saotome and Tendo to proceed unchecked? My honor unsatisfied?"_

Asmodeus sighed. **_"This is a war of attrition, as you well know. Yes, I am aware of their potential development; I have seen it, read the damnable prophesies bound in stone in the darkest halls of Hell."_** He turned to face his livid companion. **_"For every Hunter born on that plane, dozens of our brethren are spawned, you know that. There will be no lack of challenge for either of them… nor for their children, or their children's children. But it would be most foolhardy to challenge them on such a large scale so soon; to do so at this time would bring down the wrath of not only every Hunter in Japan, but possibly the rest of the world."_**

The fuming demon lord stopped his pacing and looked at Asmodeus wide-eyed. _"You… you're really serious, aren't you."_

"**_Deathly, old friend. We cannot afford to rouse the Hunters and the rest of humanity with a massed attack- and not merely because it would ruin our relations with those humans we have subverted. Know this… for every challenge thrown in the path of Saotome and Tendo, they have always emerged stronger for it. More than that, each of them has escaped death numerous times, despite the efforts of your son and others. And it is more than mere luck; had Astaroth the Younger known this, he might still be alive today."_**

The elder Astaroth's head began to sag. _"More than mere luck… so it is true, then. They are favored by the gods."_

"**_Indeed. The Kami of light… as well as the Kami of chaos. And with those two groups smiling on them, it is highly unlikely that any of our number could truly destroy them. Especially not now that their very souls are beginning to intertwine. We can only proceed with the Convention. We must space our concentrated attacks out over time, lull them into complacency… and perhaps pray that one of our ranks could break them someday."_**

"_But that could take ages! Perhaps even generations if the Kami are watching them!"_

Asmodeus sighed and smiled wanly. **_"You and your late son are not so dissimilar, old friend. Patience is our ally. PATIENCE. The war will not be won in a day, or a year, perhaps not even for a hundred years or more. Nor will it be won by mass slaughter- but by slow and steady conversion. Tempt those with value to our side, while culling the rest of the herd. Fight openly when we must- and avoid the eyes of the Hunters. We must accept that… and proceed."_**

The two daemons nodded to one another solemnly, turning and descending into the darkness beyond.

--------------------

--------------------

"Ranma…"

Ranma's eyelids clenched in irritation as a hand gripped his shoulder and gently rocked him back and forth. "Don't wanna get up yet… long night last night…" The hand left his shoulder and Ranma suddenly squirmed; someone was tickling the underside of his nose with his own pigtail. He fidgeted, half-awake, batting the offending hand away. The owner of the hand giggled. "C'mon, Akane, quit it already…"

"Mmph… wha…" He felt something tighten around him and froze in place, realizing both Akane's hands were still behind him, resting on his back. His eyes cracked open and he caught a glimpse of her, pressed up against his bare chest, only beginning to wake up herself. "Ranma, what's the matter…"

Another giggle drifted through the air, and both their eyes snapped open; it took them only an instant to realize they had been too wrapped up in each other's auras to pay attention to the third aura, which was directly next to them. Looking upward, their faces instantly became beet-red at the sight of Nodoka sitting on the edge of Akane's bed, hands folded on her lap and a smile that was amused and proud simultaneously.

"M-Mom?" "A-Auntie Saotome?"

The Saotome matriarch shifted her position so that she was kneeling beside the bed. "I had planned to make sure you were feeling well after that nightmarish ordeal last night, Akane, but it would appear I didn't need to worry."

Ranma shook his head slowly, one hand on his forehead. "An' here I thought we were done being embarrassed…"

"Story of our lives, Ranma," Akane moaned- and then giggled. "Guess we should be glad it's not Dad, though…"

"He and Genma are still asleep; I thought it prudent not to wake them." Nodoka straightened up and, noting the redness of both their faces, began to chuckle. "Oh, please; I was young once, too, dear. It's not as if I don't approve of you two being together- you are engaged, after all. It's only natural."

"Geez, Mom, could ya stop it already? You're kinda freakin' me out right now…"

Nodoka quickly composed herself. "Of course, dear. You're right, and besides it _is_ rather rude for me to intrude on you two like this." She stood up and smoothed out the light yukata she was wearing. "I'll go make us all some breakfast while you two get dressed." She started for the door, then turned slightly and grinned slyly. "Now… whatever may or may not have happened between you two last night, I _do_ trust you're planning to do the honorable thing eventually… am I right, son?"

The two teens looked at each other; a single thought passed between them silently as Akane took Ranma's hand in hers. "Um… Auntie, about that…" She smiled, hesitantly at first, then more broadly as Ranma nodded. "There's something we need you to help us with today. Down at City Hall."

Nodoka's eyes widened. _Could it be? Are they planning to… oh please, let it be what I think it is…_ "And, um… what exactly were you planning to do at City Hall today?"

Akane's eyes locked with Ranma's, and her smile grew more radiant than it had ever been.

"We're getting married."

--------------------

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**_Two months later…_**

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It was late summer, and most people had begun to put the 'Furinkan Incident' behind them. There had been countless theories at first, each with their own take on what had happened- the official news broadcasts had reported the school had been hit by a meteorite, but hard-line conspiracy theorists had a hard time reconciling a meteorite with the reports of strange mist and bizarre creatures appearing around the ward. Other reports soon followed, implicating a publicity stunt gone horribly wrong or suggesting rival gangs from another ward were to blame. Gradually, though, the theorists quieted down and construction crews moved into full swing, clearing the debris from the building's remains and laying out survey markers for the rebuilding.

The Kunos had faded into relative obscurity; both Tatewaki and his father had been deemed mentally unfit to stand trial for their charges, and in fact the younger Kuno had become so violent in his counseling sessions that he spent many days locked in a padded cell. There he paced endlessly, reciting poetry and vowing to free his beloved Akane Tendo. Kodachi visited from time to time, but never for long. She had found a place of her own and was voluntarily undergoing psychotherapy and social interaction lessons. In her free time, however, she had begun a small side project- sponsoring and overseeing the construction of a small martial arts school. She claimed it was the least she could do to repay the dojo's founder- a young man who had reportedly saved her life during the 'Furinkan Incident'. Privately, several people claimed she was sweet on the guy…

Things had also changed at the Tendo dojo. A signboard hung just outside the estate walls, announcing the re-opening of the training hall to the first new class of Anything Goes students. No actual date was mentioned, though numbers for inquiry and application were prominently posted.

A small funeral tablet rested in a new alcove just outside the house, beneath the tree by the koi pond. The name _Happosai_ was carved on the same tablet, with the most tasteful photograph they could find sitting next to it inside the tiny shrine. It would have been an ideal funeral portrait if Happosai hadn't been giving the 'victory' sign with one hand while holding a brassiere in the other…

One room on the second floor had been cleared, a slight dark outline on the door indicating the place where Akane's duck nameplate had once hung. What possessions had been in her old room had migrated, as it were, to a larger room not far away- with a newer, larger bed. Several scrolls were mounted along one wall, next to a rack containing two ornate wakizashi bearing the seals of the Saito and Sagara clans. The door of said room bore a new nameplate carved in the shape of two dragons- _'Ranma and Akane'_.

In one corner of the room, there were several photos arranged on top of a bureau, but one stood out from the rest. A picture of the two youths in question, arms around each other's waist and smiling ear to ear. Ranma was wearing a black silk shirt, Chinese in design as was his penchant, decorated with gold and silver dragons across the chest and sleeves- probably the best such shirt he had ever worn. Akane was wearing a delicate veil- the only part of her original wedding dress that was really salvageable- but instead of a Shinto wedding kimono or Western dress, she was clad in an elegant, body-hugging silver dress with pale lavender floral designs woven into the fabric. It had been a gift from Cologne; once the word was out about their impending nuptials the Elder had insisted on doing her part for the bride and groom. Akane had balked at first, not wanting to overdo things, but had fallen in love with the dress the moment she saw it.

Thankfully, word about their marriage plans had not traveled farther than a select group of people; Nabiki, true to her promise, didn't say anything until _after_ the wedding had been completed. She, of course, had known what was afoot before Nodoka, but in deference to her sister and new brother-in-law, didn't record them and indeed had turned off her surveillance equipment after hearing Akane say _'I want to marry you right now'_.

Few other things had changed in the household; Soun, Kasumi and Nabiki all remained in their own rooms, though Kasumi had begun to venture out of the house a bit more. Shingen was no longer renting the spare room; he had moved out, but rather than return to the Yamashira estate, he had requested an extended assignment to monitor the surrounding Tokyo area and continue Ranma and Akane's training. He had moved to an innocuous studio apartment further down in Nerima… not more than a block from Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. Genma had returned to the Saotome estate with Nodoka on the condition that he behave himself- though Nodoka found she needed to press that point only occasionally to keep him in line. Recent dreams, coupled with his injuries, had him doing a lot of re-thinking during his convalescence.

This August day found the estate most quiet- mainly, because nobody was home.

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"Heads up!" A Frisbee shot through the air so fast it whistled, only to be caught seconds later and returned almost as fast by a short-haired young woman wearing a Hawaiian-print loose skirt over a yellow and orange bikini. A quick slapping sound and a laugh confirmed her tossing partner, clad in long black trunks and a red Spandex tank top, had caught the Frisbee and was about to return it.

"Okay Acchan, go long!" Ranma's arm whipped back and snapped forward; the disk skimmed over the sand and was caught just before it hit the ground. Akane rolled forward and executed a one-handed somersault before flinging the disk back in Ranma's direction.

"I thought you said go _long,_ dummy!" she chortled.

"Just keeping you on your toes, that's all!" Ranma grinned and sprang forward, throwing the Frisbee so that it curved in a wide arc. Akane grabbed it, then tucked her hands behind her back and started to play 'keep away' with Ranma, leading him on a silly chase across the sand. Too quickly, he caught her and the two rolled, laughing, across the sand until they came to rest on an empty beach towel.

"Are you two quite finished yet?" Nabiki, who was seated on the beach towel next to theirs in a black one-piece, slapped her laptop closed and looked at them dryly over the rims of her sunglasses. "You two keep this up and I'm gonna need an insulin shot."

"Oh, lighten up, Nabiki! In case you've forgotten, you're supposed to have fun when you come to the beach, remember?" Akane rolled up to her feet and brushed sand off of her sarong. "You can't just bury your nose in your laptop all day."

"In case _you're_ forgetting, little sis, I've got a lot of things to take care of before I head off to Waseda University, and some of it just can't wait till we get home." Nabiki sighed and stretched back on her towel. "Not to mention readjusting the family accounts; with the school opening up again- _plus_ the fact that you two are part of this Hunter organization now- I had to do a little reworking of the books."

"Yeah, but you can't just work all day and…"

"Akane, it's no big deal. You know me- I can do these figures in my sleep." She paused, then smirked. "Besides, it keeps my mind off you two love bunnies frolicking all over the place."

"Oh, is that so?" Ranma asked, standing up behind Akane and wrapping one arm around her waist. "I think I see what the matter is… she's still not used to us acting this way, 'kane."

"Really?" Akane's smile became a sly smirk. "I suppose you'd rather have us back the way we used to be, oneechan? Fighting all the time, hmm?"

"At least then you weren't giving me tooth rot with some of your recent behavior," Nabiki deadpanned.

"Well, if that's the way you really feel…" Akane spun around, threw a subtle wink at Ranma and smacked him on the head with the Frisbee. Ranma staggered back in exaggerated pain as Akane strolled towards him, brandishing the disk melodramatically.

"Oh no! Whatever am I to do! My own wife, beating me about the head!" "Well at the very least I'm not hurting anything _important,_ baka." She batted him again, but this time he grabbed the Frisbee and tossed it away with exaggerated menace.

"Perhaps I'll have to teach you a lesson, you kawaii tomboy! Anything Goes Tickle Attack!" Akane yelped and dashed away, only to be tackled an instant later; the two erupted in a fit of laughter as Ranma assaulted her ribs with an Amaguriken-type tickling barrage. Nabiki groaned and pushed her sunglasses further up on her nose before lying back to get some sun.

"Okay, Ranma… okay, that's enough! Uncle!" Akane gasped.

"Oh, very well, I'll let you off the hook this time." He stopped tickling and pulled her close, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Having a good time, you two?" They looked up, then smiled and waved. Ryoga waved back and jogged over, wearing a black tank top and beige trunks; Akari was next to him in a pale green one-piece suit with two pig-shaped clasps holding her hair back at the temples. Behind them, Mousse was setting up a volleyball net with Shampoo's assistance; he was in blue trunks and wraparound Oakley sunglasses, while she sported a floral print string bikini. Her hair was still shoulder-length, kept out of her eyes by a silver band not unlike those Cologne wore.

"Good to see ya made it down here, man," Ranma said as he slapped hands with Ryoga. "Thought maybe you'd take the wrong turn or something."

"First off, you don't have to keep reminding me about my map skills," Ryoga muttered. "And second, we kinda needed something like this after the Furinkan Incident." He motioned at the net. "Hey, you wanna get in on a pick-up game? We could play a 3-on-3 with you both."

Ranma shrugged; Akane pondered for a moment before saying, "Why not?"

The pick-up game, of course, quickly turned into near-tournament level playing; first the guys against the girls, then they rotated players so that Ranma, Akane and Mousse were on one team, Ryoga, Shampoo and Akari on the other. Then another rotation, until after the fourth or fifth game Akari begged off, saying she was winded. Which, given the athleticism of her teammates, was hardly surprising. Down one player, they decided to play 2-on-2 with one person sitting out; for the first game, Akane elected to sit out and strolled over to Akari. Next came the team divisions- and oddly enough, it was Ranma who suggested another boys-versus-girls game. Ryoga and Mousse both gave him strange looks… which quickly turned into laughs when he transformed and took position as Onna-Ranma on Shampoo's side of the net.

"This is really nice," Akari mused. "I'd really like to thank you for inviting us out here, Akane. I think Ryoga and me really needed this little break."

"Hey, my pleasure. It isn't often our family gets to come to Osaka, so we figured we might as well make a party of it. I'm glad you two got a chance to make it."

"Well, Grandfather's feeling better, and with some of the work Ryoga's been putting in, we've actually got enough to have someone come by and check on him when we're away." Akari ran a hand through her emerald hair. "So… how are you and Ranma doing these days? What's it like being married?"

Akane looked at her currently female husband spiking the volleyball and sighed happily. "Really nice… better than nice, actually. Sure, we do have our occasional rough points and there's our responsibilities to the dojo and the clans, but quite frankly, Akari-chan, things just keep getting better every day."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Akari looked back at the game, lingering on Ryoga for a long while before turning back to Akane. "So… um…" She cleared her throat. "Is it, um… hard for you two, living with the rest of the family?"

"I wouldn't say that. Sure, Daddy can have his moments and so can Nabiki, but the fact is, after what we've been through the little things really don't bother us anymore."

"Um… actually…" Akane noticed Akari was blushing furiously. "What I meant was… it must be hard to find, um… 'private time'… if you know what I mean…"

"OH!" It was Akane's turn to blush. "Oh… well, that _does_ get a little tricky sometimes… but I think we've worked it out; we talked to Dad and my sisters and they understand that, well… occasionally we do want some time to ourselves. After all, we're not in a convent, we're _married,_ right?"

"Right," Akari replied with a nervous giggle before turning to watch Ryoga again. _I hope I can say the same about us someday soon, sweetie…_ Her blush began to return as certain thoughts emerged in her mind, each one relating to her and the bandanna-clad young man at the volleyball net. Visions of her own wedding night…

"Looks like they got a pretty good game going on here."

Akane was aware enough of her surroundings- despite an impromptu daydream of herself and Ranma that Akari's words had inspired, involving some extended and quite passionate 'private time'- that she was hardly surprised by the man behind her. "They'd probably be willing to let you jump in if you ask, Shingen," she said, turning around to face him. "Say… where's Ukyo? I thought she was with you, right? You were going to go peruse the vendors' stalls."

"Yeah, that's what we've been doing," he replied, sitting cross-legged on the sand next to her; he wore long camo-print surf shorts and a gray tank top in addition to his ubiquitous black bandanna. "Kasumi and Dr. Tofu were with us for a while as well; they're down the beach a ways right now." He gestured, and in the distance Akane could see Kasumi leading a blindfolded Tofu over to the watermelon-smash game. Akane had to giggle at the sight of the doctor wobbling around, bokken in hand, attempting to smack the bejeezus out of the nearest watermelon.

"Well, it's nice to see oneechan having some fun, but what about Ukyo?"

Shingen turned and pointed up to the guardrail at the edge of the beach. "They needed a little time alone." Akane followed the line of his finger, past a number of beachgoers, one lifeguard chair, the steps up to the vendor's promenade, until she finally came to rest on the spot he had indicated. She squinted for a moment- and then gasped.

Ukyo was standing at an okonomiyaki yattai, in front of a man at least as tall as Shingen with a full beard. And they were hugging.

Akane's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my goodness… that can't be… that's her…"

"Apparently the letter she and Nodoka-san wrote just before the Furinkan incident really got to him," said Shingen softly. "She got a letter not too long ago, saying he wanted to know more. And I don't mind telling you, it took some prodding to get her to write him back." He folded his arms and smiled. "Truth is, he's been partially regretting what he put her through ever since they parted ways, but he was afraid if he wrote or called, she wouldn't talk to him. So the letter was kind of a wake-up call for him."

Akane nodded slowly. "Yeah… of course, I should have realized there'd be a chance she'd run into her dad in Osaka."

"Actually, she called in advance and let him know she'd be on her way. And then she called up Nodoka-san; she's up there right now, on the other side of the yattai. I think they're planning to settle the debt between Kuonji-san and Saotome-san."

"Well, it's about time that mess got settled!" piped up Onna-Ranma, who was jogging off the volleyball court towards the others. "About time Ucchan got some sort of recognition from her old man as well, if ya ask me."

"You can say that again, Ranma," said Akane emphatically. "I only hope Mr. Kuonji takes it easy on your dad; everything I've ever heard indicates he was pretty ticked off."

"Eh, so long as my old man behaves I think he'll be safe," Ranma laughed as he changed back to a male. "And believe me, he's in no condition to run away this time. Speaking of which… Shin, how long did you say he was gonna have to use that cane?"

The taller man shrugged. "He was wounded pretty deep, Ranma. And a Fury's claws can do lasting damage; even the Naosu Kousen can't totally mend those wounds, so he might walk with a limp for life. Just be thankful the nerve damage wasn't heavier, he could've lost all use of his leg."

Ranma nodded slowly. "Yeah, that would've sucked… Pop may have been a bastard, but at least he was tryin' to do the right thing back then." He brushed the hair out of his eyes and glanced down the beachfront. "So is he up there with Mom right now, or did he and Mr. Tendo head off to a bar and…"

There was a sudden splashing in the water behind them. A woman screamed, followed by a number of other screams. Feet began to pound the sand as people grabbed their towels, radios and anything else they could, scrambling away from one spot at the water's edge. The only ones who didn't run were the party of beachgoers from Nerima. Shingen let out a long breath and put one hand over his eyes in irritation. "Don't tell me… not when I'm on vacation…"

Ranma groaned. "Like I told ya, man. You get used to it."

Akane stood up, tiredly brushing the wrinkles out of her sarong. "Let me guess. Sunbathing imps in Osaka, right?"

"Nope," Shingen replied. "Just a Sea Oni." They turned around and looked down towards the water's edge; Ryoga, Mousse and Shampoo were already staring at the newest arrival with nasty glares. Standing in the wet sand was something that looked like a typical oni, but with blue-green skin, seaweed draped about its waist instead of a loincloth, and flared gills on either side of its head- which closely resembled a moray eel.

It stomped once and assumed an arrogant, hands-on-hips stance. "_I AM THE MIGHTY LORD UNAGI! This land, and the waters thereof, belong to me! WHO will dare to say otherwise?_"

Shingen shook his head, fighting back a smirk. "This is too easy," he chortled. "So… what do you say? Think we oughta tell him otherwise?"

Ranma looked at the beast, snorted, then looked to Akane. "Whaddya say, could be a good workout."

She nodded and took his hand. "Bet you an Ucchan's deluxe dinner special he goes down in thirty seconds."

"I'll bet you fifteen seconds, Acchan."

"You're on."

Shingen said nothing, but smirked and looked up at the sky. _Yep, you said it best, Father… a Hunter's work is never done._

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**The End**

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…**or the beginning**

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Author's Note 8/13/06: Whew! At long last the chronicle has wound to a close… but, wait, you say! There's still so much left to tell! What about the other people who were cursed? What happens from here?

Yes, there are many things which I have not touched on, things which people may have wanted me to get to. Well, to put it simply, I couldn't fit everything in that I wanted to, and I have numerous other obligations weighing on me at this time, so I apologize if parts of the conclusion appear abrupt. My knowledge of the Ranmaverse is still sketchy in places, after all.

You may have noticed this chapter is entitled 'A New Beginning'. And the reason for that follows thus:

I am deeply grateful for the support this chronicle has received over the past year and a half I've been writing… actually, almost two years. I've had numerous ideas for side-stories, possible sequels, and the like, but I am NOT going to have the time or energy to write them. Therefore, I am now officially opening this story to the rest of the fanfic community.

What does that mean? It means, if you'd like to write a story directly relating to this one- perhaps a scene I didn't fully describe, or a sequel, or something that you wanted to see happen at the end of the story which I didn't mention(like, perhaps, Taro accidentally defeating both Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung when he returns to China, meaning he now has two girls claiming him as their husband… I'm not saying that actually _happened,_ but it'd be funny to see…) Well, anyway, if you'd like use this story as a starting point for a sequel, or a side-story, then please email me with a brief summary of your idea.

Please do NOT send any such story ideas via a review; go to my profile page and send it to the email address listed there. If I like the idea, I'll let you know. I'm also on the lookout for fanart for this story; I haven't had time to draw any of my own… yet.

One thing of note- I do have a brief one-shot sequel in the works. Just a humorous little vignette which I tentatively call 'Costume Party'. Look for it around Halloween when the NWC and their new Hunter friends get together for an informal masquerade party.

Noboribetsu is a town in Hokkaido, home of the island's most famous hot springs resort and beautifully forested hills. In the context of this story, the estate of Hunter Clan Yamashira is located here.

_Lord Unagi_- the name Unagi, quite simply, means 'eel'.

_Asmodeus_ appears in Milton's Paradise Lost and is also referred to in the Testament of Solomon. Supposedly one who hatches plots against newlyweds… but reportedly hates water. In some ancient religions Asmodeus, or a variant of the name, is listed as chief of the demons. His name also appears in numerous other literary and gaming sources.

I fear I do not have the space to properly thank everybody who has supported my work, especially those who have reviewed practically since Day One. I may not have been very good at responding to all your reviews, but I have appreciated each and every one of them. They've given me inspiration, and moreover, kept me wanting to actually finish this story. Now my work is complete, and I have all you readers to thank for it.

Please leave me a review in passing- and as I said, if you wish to continue where I left off(or write a side-story taking place between scenes), email me at the address listed on my profile page. I am a little protective of the O.C.'s I created for this story, after all.

Until next time- and the next story- I remain, as ever,

Neon Ronin


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